Gujarat town tense after 50-year-old Dalit lawyer's murder

Rapar town in Kutch district on Saturday remained tense after a 50-year-old lawyer and Dalit leader was murdered allegedly by an upper-caste youth for reasons not yet revealed.

However, the victim's family has alleged that the lawyer was killed for taking up a case related to a property dispute between two other communities.

Late on Saturday evening, police caught the suspected killer identified as Bharat Raval, 22, from Mumbai with the help of Mumbai Crime Branch.

Police said that Devji Maheshwari was stabbed while entering his office at Rapar town on Friday early evening. A CCTV grab showed a youth walking behind the lawyer in his office and running back.

Maheshwari can be also seen coming out of the office with his shirt soaked in blood. He was declared brought dead in the hospital. Police said that the incident occurred between 5:30 PM to 6 PM on Friday.

As the word spread, hundreds of people in Rapar and neighbouring towns blocked highways, burnt tyre to lodge their protest. The family members refused to accept the dead body for cremation demanding arrest of responsible people. The family members have given nine names who are reportedly behind the murder.

"We are looking into the complaint. As on today, we have identified the suspect and set up a team to arrest him. We are not yet sure of the motive," said J R Mothaliiya, range inspector general, Bhuj range, told DH. He added that the "law and order situation has been brought under control."

In the FIR, the family members have reported that Maheshwari recently chose to take up a case related to a property dispute between two different communities in the town as no other lawyer was reportedly willing to represent any of the two communities.