Rajkot: Two farm labourers, including a 16-year-old boy, were allegedly burnt alive after two men set a passenger vehicle on fire near Gundaran village in Liliya taluka of Gujarat’s Amreli district early on Tuesday. Police suspect that the double murder was linked to a financial dispute involving an outstanding payment of Rs 30,000 over the purchase of the vehicle.

The deceased have been identified as Ravi Badhel, 16, and Nitin Pachaya, 21. Both were natives of Madhya Pradesh and had been working as farm labourers in Gundaran village.

According to the police, the two men were sleeping inside a Toofan passenger vehicle parked at a farm when the accused allegedly arrived during the night, poured petrol on it and set it ablaze. Trapped inside the vehicle, the labourers could not escape and died in the fire.

The police arrested two men, including the alleged main accused, within hours of the incident. The investigation is focusing on the vehicle purchase, the disputed payment and the sequence of events leading to the fire.

Family members reach the spot but fail to save the labourers

The incident came to light after the vehicle caught fire on the outskirts of Gundaran village. Family members, including Ravi’s father, Kamlesh Badhel, rushed to the location after learning about the blaze.

They attempted to douse the flames, but the fire had already engulfed the vehicle. By the time they reached it, both occupants had died.

The Liliya police and forensic experts subsequently arrived at the scene and began examining the vehicle and surrounding area. The bodies of the two labourers were recovered in a partially burnt condition from the charred vehicle.

The nature of the incident prompted the police to register a case of murder under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with other relevant provisions.

The investigation is examining whether the vehicle was deliberately targeted because of the financial disagreement and whether the accused knew that the two labourers were sleeping inside it.

Two men arrested in connection with double murder

The police detained the alleged main accused, Vinod Dodiyar, and his relative, Raju Dodiyar, within hours of the incident.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Vismay Manseta said the preliminary investigation suggested that the murders could have been triggered by a dispute over the purchase of the vehicle and an outstanding amount of Rs 30,000.

Investigators are reconstructing the movements of the accused before and after the fire. They are also examining the financial dealings between the people involved in the vehicle transaction.

The arrests came after the police began investigating the circumstances in which the vehicle was set on fire and identified a possible connection with the disputed ownership and possession of the passenger vehicle.

How the Rs 30,000 vehicle dispute allegedly unfolded

According to the preliminary police investigation, Vinod Dodiyar had purchased the passenger vehicle from a man identified as Riteshsinh through an instalment-based arrangement.

Vinod had reportedly paid part of the agreed amount, but Rs 30,000 remained outstanding. The disagreement over the pending payment eventually led to a dispute concerning possession of the vehicle.

Police said Riteshsinh subsequently handed over possession of the vehicle to his friend Kamlesh, the father of one of the deceased labourers.

Riteshsinh had reportedly told Kamlesh that he was also owed money by Vinod. He allegedly assured Kamlesh that the outstanding amount would be settled once Vinod cleared his dues, after which the vehicle would be handed over.

The arrangement appears to have become a source of disagreement between Vinod and Riteshsinh.

According to the police account, Vinod became angry after learning that the vehicle was in Kamlesh’s possession. He reportedly approached Riteshsinh and demanded either the return of the vehicle or a refund of the money he had already paid.

Riteshsinh allegedly refused both demands. Investigators suspect that the disagreement over the vehicle and the unpaid amount may have prompted Vinod and his relative to target it.

The police are continuing to examine the claims and the financial transactions to establish the circumstances behind the alleged attack.

Police suspect petrol was carried to the farm in cans

The preliminary investigation has also indicated that the accused allegedly made preparations before reaching the farm.

According to the police, the men first filled petrol in their motorcycle at a fuel station some distance away from the location of the incident.

They then allegedly travelled towards the farm and stopped near the parked Toofan vehicle. The petrol was reportedly transferred from the motorcycle’s tank into four to five small cans.

The accused allegedly used the petrol to douse the vehicle, sprinkling it both inside and outside before setting it on fire.

After the vehicle caught fire, they reportedly fled from the spot.

The police suspect that the alleged sequence of events points to a planned attack on the vehicle. However, the investigation will have to establish the exact roles of both accused and whether they were aware that Ravi and Nitin were inside when the fire was started.

The recovery of the bodies from the vehicle and the forensic examination are expected to form part of the evidence being gathered by investigators.

Ravi’s father speaks about vehicle possession

Ravi’s father, Kamlesh Badhel, said the vehicle had remained in their possession because of the money that Riteshsinh was owed.

His statement is relevant to the police investigation because the vehicle’s possession appears to have been at the centre of the dispute involving Vinod and Riteshsinh.

The police are examining the relationship between the parties, the original purchase arrangement and the reasons the vehicle was handed over to Kamlesh.

Investigators are also looking into the outstanding payment and the events that followed Vinod’s reported demand for the vehicle or a refund.

Investigation continues into the deaths of two labourers

The deaths of Ravi and Nitin have turned a financial disagreement into a double murder investigation. The involvement of a minor among the victims has also drawn attention to the circumstances in which the two labourers were allegedly targeted while sleeping.

The Liliya police are continuing their investigation with the assistance of forensic experts. The probe is expected to establish the sequence of events, the evidence linking the arrested men to the fire and the extent of their alleged involvement.

While the preliminary findings point towards a dispute over Rs 30,000 and possession of the vehicle, the allegations against the accused will have to be established through the investigation and legal proceedings.

The case highlights the tragic consequences of the alleged attack, which claimed the lives of two migrant farm labourers who were sleeping inside the vehicle when it was set ablaze.