Police Probe Murder Of Retired IAS Officer In Bhopal, Househelp Suspected

A retired IAS officer was tragically found murdered in his Bhopal residence, prompting a police investigation into a missing househelp and drawing strong reactions from political leaders regarding the state's law and order.

A 70-year-old retired IAS officer of the 1982 batch was found dead with his throat slit at his home in Bhopal on Wednesday, with the police suspecting the involvement of his househelp, who is missing, officials said.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav expressed condolences over the killing of the former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Rakesh Agarwal, stressing that the guilty won't be spared, while the Congress targeted the state government over the "law and order situation" in Bhopal.

Assistant Police Commissioner Ankita Khatarkar told reporters that police received information about the alleged crime, which took place in Suraj Nagar within the jurisdiction of the Ratibad police station area, at around 5 am.

Agarwal lived in the house with his wife. At the time of the incident, she was asleep in another room, the official said.

Khatarkar said that preliminary investigations pointed to a domestic help named Varun, who had joined two days ago and has been missing since the incident.

Investigation Details Emerge

She said police and crime branch teams are trying to trace the missing help. The official said that the police are investigating every angle to determine whether the murder was linked to a personal grudge, robbery, or some other dispute.

Replying to a question, Khatarkar said the cooking gas nozzle was found open in the house, but the motive was not clear yet.

The official said a forensic team had collected evidence from the scene, while CCTV footage from the surrounding area was also being examined.

Profile Of The Deceased Officer

Born on June 2, 1956, Agrawal, who hailed from Punjab and joined the IAS in 1982 in the Madhya Pradesh cadre, held an LLB degree, had a postgraduate degree in Political Science and an MBA.

During his long career as a bureaucrat, he served in various capacities, including district collector and as secretary and principal secretary of various departments, said sources.

His last posting was Director General of the RCPV Naronha Academy of Administration in Bhopal, they said.

Agarwal is survived by his wife and a son, who lives in a European country. His funeral will be held on Saturday, family sources said.

Chief Minister Assures Action

In a post on X, CM Yadav termed Agarwal's death "unfortunate" and expressed condolences to the victim's family.

"The Director General of Police has been instructed to monitor the case. The state government is fully sensitive to this matter. The culprits will be identified, and legal action will be taken. No culprit will be spared," he said.

Opposition Slams Government

Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, Umang Singhar, said that the murder of a retired IAS officer in his home in the state capital has exposed the law and order situation in MP.

He said, "Criminals are getting emboldened under the BJP government, and people are not safe even in the capital, Bhopal. Law and order has completely collapsed under Chief Minister Mohan Yadav."

When a retired IAS officer is not safe in his own home in the capital, who will take responsibility for the safety of the general public, he asked.

Singhar said CM Yadav cannot escape accountability by "leaving the state at the mercy of criminals".

MP state Congress president Jitu Patwari also targeted the CM, who heads the state's Home Department.

"Even after achieving the 'distinction' of being the country's 'most unsuccessful Home Minister', if there is no improvement in power, system, and government, then your entire apparatus has become 'vile and shameless'!" he wrote on X.