A land demarcation dispute in Gujarat's Morbi district turned deadly when a young man and his uncle were allegedly hacked to death by neighbouring landholders. Police arrested the two accused within hours of the incident.
According to the police complaint, the victims, Jaipal Singh and his nephew Harshvardhan Singh, belonged to a family that cultivates nearly 30 bighas of agricultural land, equivalent to around 19 acres. The land is registered in the name of Jaipal Singh's sister.
On June 9, Jaipal Singh, Harshvardhan Singh, and Harshvardhan's father, Digvijay Singh, visited the farmland to conduct a survey and establish clear boundaries. As part of the measurement process, neighbouring landholders Mahavir Singh Jhala and Tejpal Singh Jhala were also called to the site.
Police said tensions escalated after the survey was completed and workers began installing boundary markers and fencing pegs. Investigators believe the neighbouring landholders objected to the newly marked boundaries and challenged the demarcation.
According to the investigation, Mahavir Singh Jhala and Tejpal Singh Jhala allegedly entered the field carrying sharp-edged weapons and launched a violent attack on Jaipal Singh and Harshvardhan Singh. Both men suffered severe injuries during the assault.
The victims were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared both of them dead on arrival due to the seriousness of their injuries.
Following the double murder, the Gujarat Police initiated an extensive search operation. Using a combination of technical surveillance and human intelligence inputs, officers tracked down and arrested both accused within a few hours. Police said the suspects had fled the scene on a motorcycle after the attack.
Investigators have begun the process of seizing the motorcycle allegedly used during the escape, along with the sharp-edged weapons believed to have been used in the killings. These items will be examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
Preliminary findings suggest that the conflict originated from a verbal land agreement made between the two families nearly ten years ago. According to police, disagreements regarding ownership and boundaries resurfaced when the land was recently surveyed, eventually leading to a confrontation that turned fatal.
A murder case has been registered against the accused. Police have produced them before a court and are seeking their custodial remand to further investigate the circumstances surrounding the killings and gather additional evidence.
