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JABALPUR: A 22-year-old woman was murdered in full public view at a bustling junction in Baihar town of Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district on Tuesday morning, even as onlookers allegedly recorded videos of the attack on their cellphones instead of intervening or helping her. Ritu Bhandarkar, a resident of Samanapur, worked as an attendant at a furniture shop. She was on her way to work when the accused, Rohan Sarve (25), allegedly ambushed her near Aamgaon Fata in Samanapur Chowk and slit her throat using a sharp weapon, police said. A huge crowd gathered at the spot. However, instead of rushing to Ritu’s rescue, the bystanders allegedly began filming the chilling crime on their cellphones. In these videos, Sarve could be seen repeatedly slashing Ritu’s throat. Police arrested Sarve soon after the murder. “Prima facie, it has surfaced that the deceased and the accused had studied together and knew each other. The girl had recently refused to marry the accused, which may have triggered the crime. The accused is being questioned,” Baihar SDPO Karandeep Singh said. The daylight murder has sparked widespread outrage among the locals. Fear gripped the entire town, with residents demanding stricter action to ensure women’s safety. Police said that additional forces had been deployed in Baihar to prevent any law-and-order problems, and the situation in the town was under control.
