A 21-year-old Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) youth functionary was allegedly stabbed to death by three individuals in the Udhna area of Surat late on Saturday night, according to police reports.
Victim Identified as Jay Dalal
The deceased, identified as Jay Dalal, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in the early hours of Sunday. Dalal served as the vice-president of the BJP youth wing for the Dindoli ward of Surat.
Background of the Victim
Dalal was pursuing an LLB degree at Bhagwan Mahavir College and was also involved in the hotel business. Police revealed that one of the accused had previously been booked under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities (PASA) Act.
Sequence of Events
According to police, Dalal left his home in his car around 8:30 pm on Saturday. At approximately 1 am on Sunday, his mother received a call from his friends informing her that he had been brutally attacked and admitted to Apple Hospital. His family rushed to the hospital, where he was undergoing emergency treatment.
The Attack
Police stated that Dalal was standing near Nilesh Patil's pan shop in Udhna along with his friends Kapil Birade, Nilesh Patil, and Nilkant Saudane when the accused — Kishan Parmar alias Chakli, Pankaj Patil, and Milind Koli — allegedly arrived at the spot.
Investigators said the accused had an earlier quarrel with Dalal approximately three months ago and are suspected of having attacked him over that dispute. Armed with knives, the trio allegedly assaulted Dalal repeatedly. When his friends tried to intervene, the accused allegedly threatened to kill them as well.
Injuries and Aftermath
Dalal sustained multiple stab wounds on his stomach, face, ears, legs, and other parts of his body. After the attackers fled, his friends rushed him to the hospital, where he later died during treatment.
Legal Action
Udhna police have registered a case against the three accused under Sections 103(1), 351(3), 352, and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for murder and criminal intimidation.
One of the accused, Kishan Parmar, was previously jailed under PASA. Prima facie, it appears that the murder was committed due to a grudge linked to an earlier quarrel with Jay Dalal. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the exact motive, a police officer said.
