Boy bludgeoned to death with hammer:Mother seeks same fate for accused; father recalls ₹3,000 he gave for bicycle repair supplies

Papa, please give me 3,000. Make a list for shop items, so that when returning from sister’s house, I can bring bicycle repair materials from Damoh. These were the final words of 16-year-old Bharat Vishwakarma before he left home. His father Ramgopal Vishwakarma breaks down repeatedly while recalling them. His mother Lakshmi Vishwakarma has not eaten for three days since the incident. Bharat had gone to his sister’s in-laws’ house in Samanna village on March 5 for a Bhai Dooj tilak ceremony. There, Gudda Patel (58) allegedly attacked him with an iron rod and then struck his head 10–15 times with a hammer, killing him. The accused was produced in court on Friday and has been sent to jail. The Dainik Bhaskar team reached Bharat’s village Arthkheda, about 35 km from the district headquarters, and spoke with his father Ramgopal, mother Lakshmi, sister Diksha and brother-in-law Lokman Vishwakarma. The grieving family demanded capital punishment for the accused, saying he should be punished the same way their son was brutally killed. Journey to Arthkheda: villagers angry after viral video Arthkheda village lies about 15 km from Hathni village on the Damoh–Jabalpur highway. From there, a road leads to Raja Patna village. About 14 km ahead is the Raja Patna bridge, and on its left is the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana road leading to Arthkheda. More than 10 small villages lie within a five-kilometre radius. When asked for directions, a hotel owner immediately recognised the case and said, “That’s the village of the boy who was murdered.” The video of the incident had gone viral on social media, so people across the area already knew about it. After walking nearly five kilometres, a crowd was seen outside a roadside house. Locals confirmed it was Bharat’s home. Small shop, mud house — Bharat supported the family Outside the house is a small auto parts shop with a board reading “Vishwakarma Auto Parts.” A mud house stands beside it. Bharat lived here with his parents and brother. His elder brother Rohit works as a labourer in Haryana, while his sister is married. Sister inconsolable, mother in shock The entire village is in mourning. Villagers and relatives had gathered outside the house, with chairs arranged for visitors. Bharat’s parents could not stop crying as family members tried to console them. The sister kept weeping continuously, while the mother was in deep shock and repeatedly fainted. At one point, she was unable to speak as her teeth had clenched due to distress. People present gave her water, after which she regained some composure. Rohit returned from Haryana on Friday after hearing about the tragedy. Villagers are also angry and are demanding strict action against the accused as well as financial compensation for the family. Father: “He left to bring supplies… but never returned” Father Ramgopal Vishwakarma said Bharat had gone to his sister Diksha’s house in Samanna village on Thursday for the tilak ceremony. Before he could even return home, he was murdered. Bharat had studied up to Class 11, after which he left school and started helping run the auto parts shop at home. Many people also came there to repair bicycles. “While leaving, Bharat told me, ‘Papa, give me ₹3,000 and make a receipt so I can bring supplies from Damoh on my way back.’ But he never returned,” the father said, breaking down. Mother: “If justice isn’t served, I will give up my life” Mother Lakshmi Vishwakarma said she had raised her children through daily labour work and the family’s financial condition was weak. “Bharat used to run the shop, which helped our family survive. The way my son was killed with a hammer, the accused should be punished the same way,” she said through tears. She added that Bharat was simple and soft-spoken, always greeting everyone with a smile. “Since my son’s death, I haven’t eaten anything. We want justice. If we don’t get justice, I will also give up my life,” she said. Brother-in-law said – There was an argument 15 years ago Meanwhile, the deceased’s brother-in-law Lokman Vishwakarma said that they were waiting for Bharat to come home. In the afternoon, when I reached home after finishing farming work, accused Gudda Patel brutally murdered him. I went to save him, but the accused started attacking me too. Lokman says that there was a minor argument with accused Gudda 15 years ago, but had no idea that he would kill a family member after so many years. He should be given the death penalty. His son Tarachand should also be made an accused.