3 killed, one injured over farm-boundary dispute

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Mar 5 (UNI) Three persons were brutally killed and one seriously injured, allegedly by fellow villagers, at Dhoregaon village in Gangapur tehsil of the district early today.

Police said accused Lahu Bansi Pathare, Shobabai Lahu Pathare, Kakasaheb Pathare, Pappu Kanhre and others allegedly attacked two brothers -- Uttam Khanderao Pathare (55) and Raosaheb Khanderao Pathare (50), their neighbours Sheikh Shabbir (50) and Rafiq (30) at Dhoregaon village in the wee hours.

Three of them died in the attack, while Rafiq, who was critically injured, is battling for life at the government hospital, the sources said.

The assailants used axes, sticks and other sharp weapons, police said.

''We have booked a case against the four alleged assailants and arrested them following a complaint filed by the deceased's son Bhagwan Pathare. The complainant had stated the accused had allegedly killed his father and uncle following a long pending farm-boundary dispute,'' Additional Superintendent of Police Navinchandra Reddy, who has been camping in the village to supervise the investigations, told UNI.

Mr Reddy said the murders came to the notice of the villagers, when the son of the deceased went to the farm to see why his father and uncle did not return at their usual time.

Both the brothers used to stay at their farm during the night.

Their neighbour Shabbir's body was found lying about half-a-km away from his farm, police said.

UNI