Wielding swords, rods, and guns, attackers wreak havoc in MP:22 assailants attacked 3 brothers in Shahdol; threatened villagers to kill more and leave bodies behind

In a horrifying incident on the second day of Diwali, over 22 armed assailants attacked three brothers in Balbahravillage, Shahdol district, leaving two dead and one critically injured. The attackers, armed with swords, rods, axes, and firearms, carried out the assault over a period of nearly 45 minutes. The brothers sustained multiple fractures in their hands, legs, and backs, and the brutality of the attack left the entire village in shock. Dainik Bhaskar’s team reached Balbahravillage, about 43 kilometers away from the district headquarters. There is panic in the village after the incident. No one is willing to say anything. Attack at auto parts shop turns fatal Sonu, also known as Rakesh Tiwari (40), and his brother Rahul Tiwari (42), had gone to their auto parts shop to light Diwali lamps when the attackers struck. Witnesses said the assailants suddenly appeared and attacked the brothers relentlessly. Upon hearing the commotion, the elder brother Satish Tiwari (45) rushed to the scene, only to be assaulted as well. Villagers who tried to intervene were threatened. According to local residents, the attackers said: “We need to drop three corpses; even if two more fall, it won’t matter.” Terrified, no one dared to resist. The injured brothers were rushed to a hospital by villagers, but Rakesh was declared dead on arrival, and Rahul succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Satish Tiwari remains hospitalized in critical condition at Shahdol Medical Hospital. The accused were saying – hit him so much that he becomes disabled
Elder brother Satish Tiwari, admitted to the ICU of the medical hospital, is in serious condition. He has multiple fractures in both his hands and legs. There are also injuries in other parts of his body. Cousin Shreyas Tiwari told Bhaskar that at the time of the attack, I was about 20 kilometers away in Budhar. As soon as I received the information, I rushed towards the village, but by then everything was over. The villagers present there told me that more than 22 attackers had come in a Scorpio and more than 10 bikes. Half of them were wearing masks on their faces. Everyone had iron rods, sticks, swords, axes, and pistols in their hands. When the attack happened suddenly, the brothers started trying to save their lives. One ran towards the house inside a gate, while the other tried to hide in an auto shop. The attackers were bloodthirsty. They were so aggressive that they cut the tin shed with axes and swords. They dragged the brothers out from inside the shop. They beat them outside until they were half-dead. Even in their injured state, they tried to run to escape, but the attackers had surrounded the shop and the path. All three brothers kept screaming, kept pleading to be let go, but the accused continued to strike. Most of the blows were aimed at their hands and feet. Besides this, they also struck their chests and backs. While beating them, Anurag Sharma was saying, “Beat them so much that they become crippled. They should never be able to get out of bed. If they are seen again after this, we will kill them.” They also vandalized the bike parked outside the shop. Scene of horror: Blood everywhere Dainik Bhaskar’s team visited Balbahravillage, about 43 kilometers from the district headquarters, to witness the aftermath. The village was tense and silent. On approaching the attack site, over 100 villagers had gathered. The assailants had left three motorcycles toppled on the road. Some of them had covered faces, while others carried rods, swords, axes, and pistols. The auto parts shop, partially damaged during the attack, had blood-stained floors and scattered debris. Blood was splattered on the tin roof and nearby utensils. A newly built house next to the shop was empty, while the main family residence remained inside the village. The four Tiwari brothers — Satish, Rakesh, Mukesh, and Rahul — lived with their family. Their father is a farmer. Rahul, the youngest, was unmarried. Assailants show no mercy Eyewitnesses described the sheer brutality of the attack. The attackers dragged the brothers from the shop, striking them repeatedly on their hands, legs, chest, and back. According to Satish’s cousin, Shreyas Tiwari, who was about 20 kilometers away during the attack: “More than 22 attackers came in a Scorpio and over 10 bikes. Some had their faces covered. They carried rods, sticks, axes, swords, and pistols. They struck with such intensity that no one could intervene.” Even as the brothers tried to escape, the attackers had blocked all exits. Shreyas added: “They said, ‘Hit them so that they become disabled, never to rise from bed. If we see them again, we’ll kill them.’” Planning and execution: A calculated attack Shahdol SP Ramji Srivastava confirmed that the main accused, Anurag Sharma, had planned the attack a week in advance. He selected the second day of Diwali because the village would be largely empty, with most residents at home or away celebrating. On the morning of the attack, Sharma reportedly demanded ₹50,000 from the brothers’ father, Purushottam Das Tiwari, who refused. Angered, Sharma assembled over 22 men from neighboring areas, including OPM, Girwa, and Amlai, to carry out the assault. Nayan Pathak was tasked with scouting the shop beforehand. Sharma and his accomplices waited at a farmhouse about one kilometer from the shop and launched the attack once the brothers arrived. SP Srivastava said, “The planning was meticulous. The attackers blocked roads with bikes and vehicles, ensuring that no one could intervene. They even fired in the air before attacking the brothers.” Eyewitness account and video evidence Rakesh, severely injured, managed to record a final video before succumbing to his injuries: “We were lighting lamps in the shop when Anurag Sharma, Nilesh Kushwaha, Nayan Pathak, and Sachin Sharma attacked us. Anurag had a sword and a gun, Nilesh had a sword, and Sachin hit us with an axe. They broke the shop gate, stole ₹10,000, and warned us that next time we’d be killed.” Shreyas Tiwari further described: “The attackers struck for nearly 45 minutes, and their blows could be heard a kilometer away. They blocked both sides of the main road. Even when villagers tried to rescue us, the attackers threatened them, saying that it didn’t matter if more people got hurt.” Victims’ family: Background and dispute The Tiwari brothers ran an auto parts shop in the village and had disputes over property and the family business. Rakesh and Rahul had gone to the shop to light lamps, unaware of the danger. According to relatives, prior disagreements with the main accused, Anurag Sharma, regarding money and land may have led to the brutal attack. Shreyas said, “Anurag and his accomplices had planned this for days. They knew the brothers would be alone at the shop during Diwali.” The attackers used extreme violence, ensuring that the victims could neither resist nor escape. Medical reports confirmed multiple fractures across the brothers’ bodies, and bloodstains were visible all around the shop. Arrests and ongoing investigation Police have arrested seven accused: Anurag Sharma, Nayan Pathak, Nilesh Kushwaha, Dhanesh Sharma, Sachin Sharma, Akhilesh Yadav, and Ankit Rai. Authorities are actively searching for other accomplices involved in the attack. Keswahai police in-charge Ashish Jharia has been suspended due to security lapses during the incident. SP Ramji Srivastava stated: “The attackers’ planning ensured that no one could intervene. Roads were blocked, and even when villagers tried to help, they were threatened. This was a premeditated and highly organized attack.” Village in shock and mourning The village of Balbahraremains in a state of shock and fear. Locals described how the attackers not only assaulted the brothers but also damaged property, including motorcycles and the shop gate. Villagers were too terrified to intervene during the attack. A relative explained: “The attackers said they wanted to make the brothers completely helpless. No one dared stop them, and even when they tried to help the injured, the attackers threatened them. It was terrifying.”