Scrap dealer murdered in Jharkhand, body tied to stone and dumped in Karo River
Synopsis
A scrap dealer from West Bengal's Murshidabad was allegedly killed in Jharkhand's Chaibasa, his body tied to a stone and submerged in the Karo River in what police describe as a deliberate attempt to conceal the crime. His roommate left for Murshidabad the same day — hours before the body surfaced.
Key Takeaways
Kurman Sheikh , a scrap dealer from Murshidabad, West Bengal , was allegedly murdered in Chaibasa, Jharkhand .
His body was tied to a large stone and dumped in the Karo River in West Singhbhum district .
Local residents spotted the body floating on Sunday, 19 July ; personnel from Gua police station recovered it.
Sheikh was last seen at a local market at around 8 pm on Saturday .
His roommate, Altaf Sheikh , left for Murshidabad on the Jan Shatabdi Express on Saturday afternoon and is being investigated.
The body has been sent for postmortem; police are questioning residents and examining the victim's business contacts.
A scrap dealer was allegedly murdered in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district, his body tied to a large stone and thrown into the Karo River near Chaibasa, police officials confirmed on Sunday, 19 July. The body was recovered after local residents spotted it floating in the river, triggering a police investigation.
How the Body Was Discovered
Local residents first noticed a body floating in the Karo River on Sunday. On closer inspection, they found it had been weighted down with a large stone — apparently to prevent it from surfacing. Personnel from the Gua police station were alerted and reached the spot, retrieving the body from the river with assistance from villagers.
Who the Victim Was
The deceased has been identified as Kurman Sheikh, a resident of Beldanga in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. He was engaged in the scrap trade in the Gua area of Chaibasa. According to local residents, Kurman Sheikh was last seen at a local market at approximately 8 pm on Saturday. The body has been sent for a postmortem examination, the results of which are awaited.
Key Suspect and Preliminary Findings
During the initial probe, investigators established that the victim's roommate, Altaf Sheikh, had departed for his hometown in Murshidabad aboard the Jan Shatabdi Express on Saturday afternoon — hours before the body was discovered. Police are now working to reconstruct the sequence of events following the victim's last sighting and are examining his recent contacts and business dealings.
Investigation Status
Police are questioning local residents and gathering evidence from the areas surrounding the crime scene. Officials said further action will be determined based on the postmortem findings and the ongoing probe. The circumstances that led to Kurman Sheikh's death remain under investigation.
Point of View
Not a crime of impulse. That the victim's roommate left for his hometown on the same day the murder likely occurred is a detail investigators cannot afford to treat as coincidence. What is less visible in the early coverage is the vulnerability of migrant workers in small-town scrap economies: far from home, often operating in cash, with limited social networks to notice their absence. This case warrants scrutiny not just of the immediate suspect trail but of the broader safety conditions for out-of-state workers in Jharkhand's informal trade sectors.
NationPress
20 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Kurman Sheikh and where was he from?
Kurman Sheikh was a scrap dealer originally from Beldanga in West Bengal's Murshidabad district. He had been living and working in the Gua area of Chaibasa, Jharkhand, at the time of his death.
How was the body discovered in the Karo River?
Local residents spotted a body floating in the Karo River on Sunday, 19 July. On closer inspection, they found it had been tied to a large stone, apparently to keep it submerged. Gua police station personnel recovered the body with help from villagers.
Who is the key person of interest in the case?
According to police, the victim's roommate Altaf Sheikh left for Murshidabad aboard the Jan Shatabdi Express on Saturday afternoon — the same day Kurman Sheikh was last seen alive. Investigators are examining his movements as part of the probe.
What is the current status of the investigation?
Police have sent the body for postmortem examination and are questioning local residents while collecting evidence near the crime scene. Officials said further action will follow once the postmortem results and investigation findings are available.
When was Kurman Sheikh last seen alive?
Local residents told police that Kurman Sheikh was last seen at a local market at approximately 8 pm on Saturday, the evening before his body was recovered from the Karo River.
