House On Rent, Power Cut And Protest: What Led To Killing Of Indore Techie

Last Updated:March 27, 2026, 4:26 PM IST

An Airbnb dispute in an Indore housing society turned deadly as a techie was run over during a clash.

A video of the incident surfaced on social media, purportedly showing the accused speeding into people. (Image: X/@gharkekalesh)

A dispute over the use of a penthouse as an Airbnb rental escalated into a fatal incident after a woman was mown down by a rashly driven car during a confrontation inside a residential complex parking in Indore on Thursday.

The incident that was captured on CCTV cameras is widely circulating on social media platforms. It shows a car speeding into a cluster of people, knocking down a woman. Minutes later, the vehicle, in a second pass, appears to mow down another woman as residents scatter in panic.

According to police, the woman who died has been identified as Shampa Pathak Pandey, a software engineer who had recently moved into Shiv Vatika Township with her family. Her husband, Saurabh, said tensions had been building among residents over the alleged commercial use of a penthouse in the Sagarshree Enclave building.

Woman Mowed Down While Protesting

Residents had repeatedly complained about the frequent entry of outsiders inside the building, including young couples and foreigners, among others, through Airbnb, said police. A meeting was also held with the owner of the flat, Kuldeep Chaudhary, but no solution was found.

On Thursday, the situation escalated after the penthouse was rented out through Airbnb again. Residents, this time, decided to cut the electricity to the penthouse. This led to an argument between Chaudhary and residents. In response, the owner allegedly cut power to the entire building, which made the situation tense.

Recalling the ordeal, a resident told police that Chaudhary dialled his son and said, “Aa jao, aaj inka mamla settle karna hai. (Come, we need to settle this matter today).”

The chilling incident unfolds

The situation escalated after Chaudhary’s son allegedly drove his car at high speed into people standing at the spot. CCTV camera footage shows the wife of society’s security guard was first knocked down and then the 38-year-old Shampa was hit.

When residents rushed the woman to a nearby hospital, doctors declared her dead. “She has two children, who don’t know about their mother’s death,” a resident said.

Police said both father and son have been arrested, and interrogation is underway to understand the sequence of events. Residents, meanwhile, are demanding strict action against the duo. During the investigation, cops found empty beer bottles, cigarettes, among other things, from the spot, raising concern about the kind of activities happening at the penthouse.

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