Raipur/ Bhopal June 19, 2026

Eight men died within a span of four months in Chhattisgarh's Balodabazar district. Most of them reportedly fell ill under similar circumstances. Their deaths have now become the subject of a major police and forensic investigation, with authorities exhuming several bodies in search of answers.

The mystery has gripped villages across the district since the deaths occurred between February and May. Families of the deceased claim the men were healthy before suddenly developing symptoms that led to their deaths. As the number of fatalities rose, suspicion spread through the area and demands for an independent investigation gathered momentum. Acting on complaints from family members, Balodabazar police, along with teams from the State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), have begun exhuming bodies for scientific examination. According to Additional Superintendent of Police (Kasdol) Abhishek Singh, samples collected from the exhumed body parts have been sent for forensic analysis and the reports are awaited.

Sources said the first body was exhumed last Saturday and, followed by six more on Tuesday as the investigation gathered pace. Another victim had been cremated according to Hindu rituals, making exhumation impossible in that case. The process was possible because several of the deceased belonged to the Kabirpanthi community and tribal groups, where burial is a common practice after death. Investigators are hoping that forensic and toxicology reports from the exhumed remains will help determine whether the deaths were linked by a common cause.

Investigators hope the scientific analysis will help establish whether the deaths were linked by a common cause. At the centre of the investigation is a theory that the victims may have consumed a poisonous substance mixed with liquor. Several villagers and family members have alleged that some of the men had consumed alcohol before falling seriously ill. However, police officials have not confirmed this claim and say the allegation remains under investigation.

The absence of clear answers has also fuelled speculation. In some villages, rumours have linked the deaths to alleged black magic practices. Others have spoken about stories involving hidden treasure rituals, a belief occasionally heard in rural areas when unexplained incidents occur. So far, investigators have found no evidence to support such claims and continue to rely on forensic findings rather than local rumours.

Police officials say the investigation is still at an early stage. The next major breakthrough is expected to come from the laboratory reports, which could determine whether the deaths were caused by poisoning, contamination, natural factors or some other yet unidentified reason.