RAJKOT: A marriage function in Bhavnagar turned into a battlefield between two families with one person being murdered and two others critically injured.
The incident occurred late on Saturday night after a fight broke out between the family members of the marriage party and the assailants near a temple in Panwadi area of Bhavnagar city.
The complaint was lodged by Viren Chauhan, a 21-year-old diamond polisher, a native of temple town Palitana, who lives and works in Surat. He has named Nikunj Kambad, his brother Parth, Ajay Marwadi, Hitesh Damji and two unidentified persons for killing his elder brother Suraj.
Viren, Suraj and his parents had come to Bhavnagar to attend the marriage of the former's cousin sister Bhavisha. At around 10pm, after the dandiya raas event got over, Viren's cousin Nirav and others went to the Meldi Mata temple and were sitting on its footsteps. At the same time, Nikunj and an unidentified person arrived at the place and asked him the reason for sitting there and allegedly slapped him.
Nirav returned home and told his family members about the assault. Viren, his cousin Vishal, brother Suraj and others then went in search of Nikunj, first at the temple and later at his house, but he was not found anywhere.
When they returned to Bhavisha's house, Nikunj and other accused reached the venue armed with knives, pipes and washing bats. They stabbed Suraj in the chest and stomach, leaving him dead on the spot. They even attacked Suraj's mother Jagruti, Viren and Vishal with pipes. Police said Vishal has suffered severe injuries and all are under treatment at the government hospital.
“We have launched a manhunt for the assailants and all of them will be nabbed soon,” said JR Bhachkan, inspector, Neelambaug police station.
