Jhund actor Priyanshu Kshatriya found murdered in Nagpur; police detain close friend

Priyanshu Kshatriya, who played Babu Chhetri in Jhund, was found dead with severe injuries. Police suspect an old dispute as the motive. Actor Priyanshu Kshatriya, known for his role as Babu Chhetri in Amitabh Bachchan’s 2022 film Jhund, was found murdered early Wednesday in Nagpur’s Jaripatka area. Police believe the killing happened around 2 am inside an abandoned house near the Nara locality.

Investigators have detained his friend, Dhruv Sahu, who was last seen with him on Tuesday night. “No arrests have been made yet, but we have detained Kshatriya’s friend Dhruv Sahu. We’re probing the motive behind the incident,” said Arun Kshirsagar, Police Inspector of Jaripatka.

According to officials, the crime scene showed signs of extreme violence. Kshatriya’s throat was slit with a sharp weapon, and his face was reportedly disfigured with a stone. Both men were believed to be drunk during the altercation. Locals who discovered the actor in a critical state rushed him to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Once informed, a police team reached the location and began their investigation. Within hours, the Crime Detection Branch traced and detained Sahu, who has previous offences on record. Sources said a personal dispute over money may have triggered the confrontation.

Police records indicate that Kshatriya had also faced minor criminal charges earlier. In 2022, he was arrested for theft involving jewellery and cash worth Rs 5 lakh. Despite his short stint in films, he had reportedly fallen into substance abuse, often linked to financial troubles.

Kshatriya’s background reflected the struggles shown in Jhund itself. Raised near the railway tracks in Nagpur, he was the son of a daily wage labourer and had three elder sisters. His journey from local lanes to the silver screen had once inspired many, as the film portrayed slum kids finding hope through football under the guidance of Vijay Barse.

His death has left locals shocked, as police continue to piece together what led a promising young actor’s life to end in such brutal circumstances.