Raja murder case: Silence & fear loom in Nand Bagh’s Lane No. 18
The three youths accused in the case were hardworking & had no criminal background; then are they scapegoats in a bigger plot?
It was the festival of Raksha Bandhan, and, as every year, the festive buzz could be seen in every street and corner of Indore. Even just a few steps away from Nand Bagh’s Lane No. 18, where shops were selling rakhis and sweets, were decorated and bustling. But as one approached that lane, the liveliness began to fade, replaced by an eerie stillness inside. People were working, but like machines, without much joy.
This is the lane where the three young men, Vishal Chauhan, Anand Kurmi and Akash Rajput, now accused in the Raja Raghuvanshi murder case, lived. Just two months ago, these three, aged between 19 and 22 years, were like any other local youths — sitting on the small verandas outside their homes chatting, playing with children and living ordinary lives.
What was narrated to me about the youths was not the story of any murder suspect, but three simple youths who helped their families survive.
About one and a half months ago, when I first began working on this case, all three had already been apprehended, and the Shillong police had taken them away. Their families had returned to their native villages, which they had left behind to come to the city, with dreams of working hard, giving their children a good education, and ensuring a better life for their family.
Two months later, I returned to the same lane. Last time, outside Vishal Chauhan’s house, where Raj Kushwaha’s bike was parked, the police had arrested both of them from the same house. Now, the bike was gone. People were living inside the house, but the entire family, including small children, was effectively under house arrest. Just before I arrived, they had locked the small iron gate. Clothes drying outside were proof that people were inside, but none answered my repeated requests to open the gate.
A gentleman from the opposite house told me that they were all inside, but did not step out. They also avoided talking to the neighbours.
A few houses away was where Anand Kurmi lived, renting a single room at his aunt’s place. His family, too, has not returned from their village in Sagar, Madhya Pradesh.
Across from that was the house of the third youth, Akash. Two teenagers sitting outside told me that Akash’s family hasn’t returned, but his elder uncle (paternal uncle) and his family have. Their village is in the Chauki district.
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Hoping to speak to someone, I walked toward the house.
The door was open; a curtain separated the life inside from the world outside. When I called out, a young man (Rachit-name changed) in his early twenties lifted the curtain and came out. I asked if he was Akash’s cousin. He said no. I asked if he would like to talk about Akash, and he invited me inside.
It was a small room with two chairs. Rachit asked me to sit on one, and he took the other. Soon, his mother and younger brother came out. Rachit did not want his identity to be revealed.
Here is an account of what Rachit shared:
I’ve known Akash for the last 15-16 years. His family used to live in our house as tenants. I’ve never heard him argue or fight with anyone. He was pursuing a BBA course at a college near Aurobindo Hospital. His father works as a labourer in a construction company, and his mother contributes to the household by sewing clothes and making papads. The family didn’t have the money for a private college education, but after Class 12, Akash got admission to the BBA course through a scholarship. Alongside his studies, he worked a part-time job to cover his expenses. His younger brother is in Class 9. But after this incident, the whole family left for their village out of fear and shame. We don’t know if they will ever return.
We weren’t here the day Akash was arrested. We had gone to our village. When we returned, we found out about it, and for a month, it felt as if someone in the family had died. They left for the village, but we still haven’t been able to recover from the shock. My brother and I do menial jobs, but now we’re even scared to go to work. If people find out we are associated with them, it could create problems for us. We no longer go out like before.
A few days before the incident, Akash told his mother that Raj was going to Shillong for office work and wanted to take him along. Two other friends (Vishal and Anand) would also be there. His mother refused, saying it was too far. But Akash insisted on going—and then, what happened afterwards, everyone knows. The day the police arrested Akash, not just his family but the entire colony was in shock because no one could ever imagine that the three of them would do something like this.
Akash’s parents are not educated. They don’t even know what steps to take now. Neighbours say that the other two families have also not been in contact with their sons since the arrest.
The case became more complicated when Akash Rajput and Anand Kurmi, after being presented in court, retracted their earlier police statements. They claimed that they had not committed the murder and were victims of a conspiracy. However, Shillong police later stated this made no difference because they had solid evidence against all five accused.
Many questions arise here:
Why would these three young men, with no prior criminal history, get involved in such a heinous act? Neighbours say all three were ordinary, had no bad habits, worked hard to earn a living and were not in debt. So, were they really victims of a conspiracy? Because if they had wanted to earn money the wrong way, they might have committed some crime earlier too. Since the retraction of statements by two accused, neither the Shillong police nor anyone else has given a clear explanation. Do the police have enough evidence? Have they contacted the families of these three accused? Have they allowed them to speak to their sons?
The biggest question is—will the families of these three young men ever be able to live as before? Given how our society reacts to such cases, will the road ahead be easy for them?
Only time will tell who is guilty, in what way, and to what extent. But the strange silence and restlessness that hung over those three houses in Lane No. 18 may never truly fade.
