MP school teacher burnt alive after Rs 4 lakh robbery

BHOPAL: A teacher was allegedly burnt alive after being robbed of Rs 4 lakh in Damoh district of Madhya Pradesh. The incident occurred in the Hata police station area on Thursday night. The deceased has been identified as Rajesh Tripathi, 47, son of R. P. Tripathi and a resident of Sunwaha. He was a primary teacher at a government school. Brother Mukesh told police that Rajesh had visited Hata and was returning to his village, Sunwaha, with Rs 4 lakh. Damoh SP Shrut Kirti Somavanshi told TOI that the matter is being investigated. “Currently we are going by the statements of his family. All angles are being verified,” said the officer. Unidentified persons reportedly intercepted his bike near the canal between Hart and Baroda, looted the money, assaulted him, poured petrol on him, and set him on fire. Mukesh stated that his brother called him to inform him that some people had poured petrol on him and set him ablaze. He immediately rushed to the location with other family members and found Rajesh severely burnt, with his bike parked nearby. Rajesh was taken to Hata Civil Hospital for initial treatment. Due to his burns, he was referred to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead after examination. Rajesh's brother mentioned that a bike and a bag were recovered from the scene. Upon reaching the district hospital, the family informed the police. Police arrived at the hospital and gathered information about the incident from the family. He immediately notified the Hata police. According to the family, the teacher was robbed of Rs 4 lakh and subsequently burnt alive with petrol. He stated that doctors at the district hospital pronounced him dead, and the body has been kept at the hospital. The Hata police are currently investigating the crime scene, and the Kotwali police are also conducting a serious investigation into the matter from all possible angles.