A minor neighbourhood dispute in Gandhidham, Gujarat, tragically escalated into a brutal murder when middle-aged resident Karshanbhai Maheshwari was allegedly chased, doused in diesel, and set on fire by his neighbours.
The incident occurred in Satrahajjar Jhunpada, where what began as a routine quarrel turned into what police described as an “inhuman” act of violence. Investigators report that the victim was burned alive inside his own bathroom.
Karshanbhai, who lived with his elderly mother and was unmarried, had reportedly faced prior tensions with the same neighbours. According to a complaint lodged by his elder brother Hirabhai Dadubhai Maheshwari, Friday afternoon saw the dispute escalate to deadly violence.
In a dying declaration recorded before the Mamlatdar, Karshanbhai detailed that several neighbouring women, along with an unidentified man, first assaulted him. Fearing for his life, he ran and locked himself inside the bathroom, only for the attackers to break the door, pour diesel over him, and set him on fire. Critically injured, he was first admitted to Rambagh Hospital in Adipur and later transferred to G.K. General Hospital in Bhuj, where he succumbed on Saturday morning.
Following his death, police upgraded the case from assault to murder. A murder case has been registered against Premilaben Nareshbhai, Ajuben Hareshbhai, Manjuben Lahiri, and an unidentified male accomplice, all of whom have been arrested. Authorities are reconstructing the sequence of events to determine each accused’s role.
“The brutality of the act cannot be ignored,” a police officer said, noting that the evidence points to a violent and deliberate attack stemming from a personal dispute.
The incident has sparked outrage and fear in Satrahajjar Jhunpada, leaving the Maheshwari family and the local community in shock over how a minor quarrel escalated into a deadly crime.
