In a gruesome incident stemming from a family property dispute, an elder brother in Gujarat's Dahod district has been accused of murdering his younger sibling. The motive, as revealed by police, was to prevent the victim from selling their ancestral home to fund the purchase of a car.
A Grisly Discovery in Rangli Ghati
The case came to light on December 12, when the partially burned body of a young man was discovered near Hirola village in the Sanjeli taluka. The location, known as Rangli Ghati, is a secluded spot. The deceased was later identified as 26-year-old Royal Labana, a resident of Karath village in Limdi taluka.
Police managed to establish the victim's identity through personal items found on the body, including a watch and some pieces of jewellery. This crucial breakthrough set the investigation in motion.
Investigation Zeroes in on the Family
Officers began gathering information about Royal Labana's background and his immediate relatives. Combining technical surveillance with human intelligence sources, the police investigation soon took a dramatic turn. The focus shifted to the victim's own family.
Akshay Labana, Royal's elder brother and a resident of Dahod, was brought in for detailed questioning. Under interrogation, Akshay's resolve crumbled. He confessed to orchestrating and carrying out the murder of his younger brother with the help of two accomplices.
The Motive: A House Versus a Car
According to the police confession, Akshay revealed a tale of familial discord and financial tension. While Akshay had moved to Dahod, Royal continued to live in their ancestral house in Karath village. Royal did not have stable employment and, as per his brother's statement, relied on petty thefts and deceit.
The central conflict arose from Royal's desire to buy a car. To finance this purchase, he was persistently pressuring Akshay to agree to sell their family home in Karath. Akshay, frustrated by what he perceived as his brother's irresponsible extravagance, was adamantly against selling the property.
This disagreement escalated to a deadly conclusion. Akshay allegedly hatched a plan to eliminate Royal. He enlisted the help of two friends, identified as Mohammed Farooq Sheikh and Deepak Modhiya.
The Chilling Execution of the Plan
The trio lured Royal to Surat under the false pretext of helping him look at cars. On their return journey, they took advantage of a secluded area to murder Royal. In a cold-blooded attempt to evade justice, they kept his body concealed in the boot of their car for an entire day.
On December 11, the accused drove the body to an isolated spot. There, they set it on fire in a desperate attempt to destroy evidence and prevent identification. Their plan initially seemed to work, until the police's diligent forensic and investigative work pieced the puzzle together.
As of now, Akshay Labana and Mohammed Farooq Sheikh have been arrested and are under intense interrogation. Police are actively searching for the third accused, Deepak Modhiya. The case highlights a tragic escalation of a domestic argument into a premeditated and brutal crime, shocking the local community in Dahod.
