Authorities have discovered what appeared to be murders rather than a traffic accident in the Arai area of the Ajmer district after discovering a burnt SUV with three dead inside and a fourth one in a neighbouring field beside a road.
About 1 km from Shri Rampura hamlet near Arai, a truck driver noticed flames engulfing a Scorpio. He called the people, who arrived with water tankers and put out the fire about 5.30 am, reported TOI.
The event initially seemed to be a car fire that trapped the occupants due to an internal mechanical failure. Evidence, according to police, subsequently suggested a premeditated murder.
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Former Congress sarpanch Ram Singh Choudhary (52), his wife and former member of the Ajmer Zila Parishad Surgyan Devi (45), his mother Poosa Devi (78), and his niece Mahima were identified as the deceased.
Choudhary used to be the Borada Gram Panchayat's sarpanch.
When Poosa Devi complained of chest pain, authorities initially believed the family was going to the hospital based on local information. However, as investigators looked at the family's Shri Rampura village home, the theory changed.
According to Ajmer SP Harsh Vardhan Agarwala, "I directed a murder probe after blood stains and other evidence were found at Choudhary's residence in his village."
According to a police officer, "The main room of the house was found to be freshly washed, but there were blood stains, and nearby we found two bricks with blood marks."
"The SUV was found in the opposite direction of the local hospital near Borada," he added.
On the premises, investigators also discovered diesel traces connected to a tractor. Before the victims were transported in the SUV and the car was set on fire to destroy evidence, police believe the killings took place in the house.
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Unsettling information regarding family dynamics surfaced as investigations went on. There were allegations of domestic abuse against Choudhary, who had two spouses. His first wife had two teenage children.
"Neighbours and village seniors reported that Choudhary was a habitual drinker and regularly beat his first wife, and there were loud shouts from their house Wednesday night as he was allegedly beating his daughter from his first marriage," a police officer said.
"We have called the first wife and her two teenage children for questioning and sent the bodies for post-mortem; preliminary examination shows signs of throat cuts on the bodies," a police officer said.
As the inquiry went on, no arrests had been made until late Thursday.
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