Five Arrested for Murdering Orchard Labourer Over Suspected Mango Theft in Surat

Five individuals have been detained for allegedly killing a farm worker in Gujarat's Surat district. The incident arose from suspicions that the worker had stolen mangoes worth Rs 50,000. Suresh Verma, aged 48, was reportedly attacked by the accused and his body was later discarded in a canal on May 21, according to Bardoli Deputy Superintendent of Police HL Rathod.

The suspects, identified as Ashfak Rayan, Vinod Agrawal, Mohammed Umar, Dashrath Maurya, and Yakub Abdul Gaffar, face murder charges. They had leased a mango orchard in Bardoli's Akoti village and employed Verma and another local as labourers. Recently, they suspected Verma of stealing mangoes and selling them, Rathod explained to reporters.

Details of the Incident

On the night of May 21, the accused tied Verma to a tree at the farm and beat him until he lost consciousness. Ashfaq then contacted Verma's wife, demanding Rs 50,000 as compensation for the alleged theft. Realising Verma had died from the assault, they transported his body by car and disposed of it in a canal in Kamrej taluka.

When Verma failed to return home, his family filed a missing person report with Bardoli police. They also informed authorities about Ashfaq's demand for Rs 50,000. Subsequently, an unidentified body was found by Kamrej police in the canal. After Verma's family identified it as his, a murder case was registered on May 31.

Arrests and Investigation

The discovery of Verma's body led to the arrest of the five suspects. The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crime. The case highlights issues related to labourer treatment and disputes over agricultural produce.

The authorities are working to gather more evidence and testimonies to strengthen their case against the accused. The incident has raised concerns about safety and justice for farm workers in the region.

With inputs from PTI