Indian police arrest man suspected of killing neighbour to avenge wife's rape

A team of forensic experts found that the explosive was made of gelatin rods and a detonator

A team of forensic experts found that the explosive was made of gelatin rods and a detonator which is mainly used by villagers to dig up wells. Ratlam Police
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Indian police have arrested a man suspected of killing his neighbour with a home-made bomb to avenge the alleged rape of his wife.

Suresh Lodha, 32, from Bilpak village in Ratlam district in central Madhya Pradesh state, was arrested on Monday on suspicion that he had planted an explosive near a bore-well that killed Lal Singh.

On January 4, Mr Singh was working on his farm when the explosive device exploded, killing him on the spot.

A team of forensic experts found that the explosive was made of gelatin rods and a detonator, which is often used by villagers to dig up wells.

During the investigation, police found that a similar explosion had taken place near a tube-well on the farm of former village head Bhanwar Lal in August last year. He had sustained minor injuries.

The police interrogated villagers and found Mr Lodha and his family were missing. They detained him two days later from the neighbouring Mandsaur district and said he confessed to his crimes.

“He confessed to us that he had planted the explosive to avenge his wife’s gang-rape,” Deepak Sejwar, police inspector, told The National.

“He said Lal Singh, Bhanwar Lal and a third man named Dinesh Lodha were his neighbours. Last year the three men had barged inside his home and allegedly raped his wife and beat him up when he tried to stop them,” Mr Sejwar said.

Police said he did not report the incident because he was threatened by the three with “dire consequences".

Mr Lodha was also said to be worried that reporting the incident would bring shame and dishonour to his wife and family.

To take revenge, he learnt to assemble the bomb from the internet and then used the technique on Bhanwar Lal, but when he survived, he used more gelatin rods for his attack on Lal Singh, the police said.

Bhanwar Lal and Dinesh Lodha have been arrested on charges of gang-rape.

Updated: January 20, 2022, 3:53 PM