Raipur: Decomposed body found in cement-filled suitcase, lawyer couple arrested

Raipur: A horrifying and meticulously planned murder has jolted Chhattisgarh after police recovered the decomposed body of a man stuffed inside a cement-filled suitcase, which was locked inside a steel trunk and abandoned in dense bushes near Indraprastha Colony Phase-2.

The grisly discovery was made on Monday evening after residents reported a foul smell emanating from the area.

According to police sources, the stench had been noticeable since early afternoon. Locals eventually traced it to a steel trunk discarded in a thickly vegetated patch.

Upon opening the trunk, police found a tightly packed suitcase filled with cement. Inside lay the contorted body of a young man, later identified as Kishore Paikra.

Preliminary forensic examinations revealed that Paikra’s throat had been slit with a sharp weapon. His hands and legs were bound, indicating a deliberate and brutal act of premeditated murder.

CCTV footage from the surrounding area played a critical role in unraveling the case. Footage captured around 9:30 am on Sunday showed an old Alto car with a tampered number plate — CG 04 B-7700 — near the scene.

Investigations revealed that the number belonged to a different vehicle, a 2005 Hyundai Santro, suggesting a clear attempt to mislead law enforcement. Two individuals were seen unloading the trunk, while a third person on an electric two-wheeler lingered nearby, now under police scrutiny.

A major lead emerged when police traced the trunk to the Shabbir Steel Trunk Factory in Raipur’s Golbazar. The shopkeeper confirmed that a man and woman, believed to be between 25 and 30 years old, had purchased the heavy-duty trunk on Sunday morning. Payment was made online under the name “Shivani Sharma,” and the trunk was delivered to Indraprastha Colony via an auto-rickshaw.

Further investigation led police to identify the key conspirators — Ankit Upadhyay, a practicing lawyer and the son of a retired ASI, and his wife, Shivani Sharma. The couple was caught on CCTV transporting the body and were later traced to Delhi.

Raipur Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Lal Umed Singh confirmed that the duo was arrested in Delhi by a joint operation of Chhattisgarh and Delhi Police. “The accused were attempting to flee. They are now in custody and will be interrogated further,” he stated.

This chilling case has drawn parallels to a similar murder in Meerut earlier this year and has sent shockwaves through the local community. Forensic teams are continuing their investigation to establish a detailed timeline and motive behind the killing.