Morbi Businessman's Body Discovered in Factory Compound, Police Cite Land Dispute as Motive
In a chilling development that has sent shockwaves through the community, the body of a 47-year-old real estate businessman from Morbi was unearthed on Thursday, buried in a closed factory compound. The discovery comes a week after he went missing, with police asserting that this was a meticulously planned killing rooted in a bitter land dispute.
Disappearance and Investigation Unfold
Tajmohammad Bhatti, a resident of the Vishipara area in Morbi, was last seen on February 19. According to his family, he left home with an acquaintance, Balu Aghara, to discuss a land deal. When he failed to return and his phone remained unreachable, his family grew increasingly concerned and filed a missing person complaint at the B Division police station on February 21.
The breakthrough in the case occurred on Thursday during the questioning of Balu Aghara. He provided critical details that led police to a coal factory located on Pipli Road. In a coordinated effort involving an executive magistrate, doctors, and senior officers, authorities excavated a shallow grave at the site. The grim findings included human skeletal remains, pieces of cement sheets, and charred wood, painting a harrowing picture of the crime.
Financial Dispute and Legal Action
In an FIR filed by Bhatti's 22-year-old son, Riyaz Bhatti, it is alleged that a financial dispute served as the primary motive for the murder. The FIR outlines that tensions had escalated over an earlier land deal and a recent transaction in which Tajmohammad accepted Rs 5 lakh from an associate, Thobhan Aghara, to facilitate another property deal. This financial entanglement is believed to have triggered the violent outcome.
Seven individuals have been named in the FIR: Balu Aghara, Jitesh Jhalariya, Ramesh Aghara, Vishal Waghadia, Bhavesh Aghara, Jaydeep Shersiya, and Thobhan Aghara. They have been booked under Sections 61(2), 103(1), 238, and 54 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, reflecting the severity of the charges.
Gruesome Details of the Crime
Investigators have pieced together a disturbing sequence of events. They state that Bhatti was lured to a farmhouse near Bhadiyad, where he was brutally assaulted with sticks and plastic pipes. After succumbing to his injuries, his body was transported to the factory on Pipli Road. There, it was burned using wood and diesel in an attempt to destroy evidence, before being buried and sealed with a concrete slab—a method indicative of a premeditated act to conceal the crime.
Ongoing Investigation and Community Impact
Morbi city deputy superintendent of police J M Aal confirmed that forensic teams are meticulously examining the remains and other items recovered from the site to gather further evidence. Police are actively working to apprehend all individuals named in the FIR, emphasizing their commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
This case has deeply unsettled Morbi's business circles, sparking widespread concern about the rising number of disputes linked to high-value land deals. The incident underscores the potential dangers in the real estate sector and has prompted calls for increased vigilance and legal safeguards to prevent such tragedies in the future.
