Bhopal/Barwani, May 26 (IANS): Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested 32-year-old Chandan Badole, who had been on the run for 35 days after allegedly shooting his 58-year-old father Jagan Badole dead over a monetary dispute in Barwani district, following a dramatic operation in the dense forests along the banks of the Narmada River. The accused, who carried a reward of Rs 10,000 on his head, was captured after precise intelligence provided by an informant, and sustained injuries after attempting to escape by jumping from the roof of a temple during the operation. Despite multiple police raids across forests and hilly terrain, Badole had managed to evade capture by frequently changing his hideouts and closely monitoring police movements, making the manhunt particularly challenging for the three separate teams formed by Barwani Kotwali Police, who conducted extensive searches not only in the forests but also at the homes of his relatives. His deep familiarity with the terrain along the Narmada River, where he had sought refuge after the crime, gave him a significant advantage over the pursuing teams for over a month. He is currently in police custody and will undergo further interrogation, with investigation still underway to determine if any other factors were involved in the crime.
The sensational patricide occurred on April 20 in Pichhodi village, when a heated argument between Chandan and his father over money turned fatal. Chandan, who once worked as a welder, had been persistently demanding more than Rs 2 lakh from his father, who had already given him Rs 2 lakh previously by mortgaging a piece of land but firmly refused to provide more, leading to escalating tensions between the two over recent days. As Jagan was returning home with his wife Gauri Bai, an Anganwadi worker, Chandan intercepted them on the road, and a verbal altercation quickly turned into a physical scuffle, after which he allegedly pulled out a country-made pistol and shot his father at point-blank range in the head, killing him instantly. Gauri Bai, who witnessed the entire gruesome incident, immediately alerted the police and narrated the full sequence of events. Sub-Divisional Officer of Police Mahesh Sunaiya noted that tensions between father and son had been brewing for some time, adding that Chandan had even posted a social media reel shortly before the incident complaining that his father owned sufficient land but was depriving him of money. Family sources further disclosed that Chandan’s increasingly aggressive behaviour had already taken a toll on his personal life, with his wife having left him, while his younger brother had stayed away from the dispute entirely. The arrest brings some closure to the grieving family, though the brutal nature of the crime has sent shockwaves through the quiet village of Pichhodi.