A two-time murder accused was brutally murdered by the very friends he once helped escape the law. The murder, driven by a tussle for dominance, was reported late Monday night at Gondwana Square under the limits of Sadar Police Station. The deceased has been identified as Ajay Murlidhar Gaate (31), a resident of the mine area in Adivasi Nagar near Gondwana Square. Ajay had a criminal past and was earlier involved in illegal liquor sale and two murder cases. The arrested accused have been named as Akhilesh Gyaneshwar Kangali (24), Anup alias Karan Jai Kanaujia (20), Mukesh alias Aman Chaitu Kanaujia (19), all from Samta Nagar and Raj Nagar.

 

The police are still searching for Karan Yadav, his cousin Aman Yadav, and a few others who fled the scene after the crime. Ajay was once close to the Yadav brothers. Years ago, he helped them hide after they committed a double murder at a college in Kamptee. In return, when Ajay himself was accused of murdering a girl’s father (a crime committed with the help of the girl and her mother), the Yadavs had sheltered him in Bokhara to avoid police arrest. But things took a dark turn. After getting out on bail, Ajay started demanding money back from the Yadav brothers, which he had spent on the case. He also allegedly lorded over them and forced them to do petty work like bringing tea, tobacco and cigarettes. If they refused, he threatened them. This daily harassment created tension. The Yadav brothers, who had a violent past, began feeling insulted and wanted to assert their dominance. They shared their anger with Akhilesh, another criminal in the area.

 

They made a plan to eliminate Ajay. On the night between Monday and Tuesday, Ajay was attacked at the Gondawana Square. The accused used deadly weapons, bricks and stones to kill him. Ajay died on the spot due to serious injuries. As soon as police got information, Senior Inspector Manish Thakre and his team from Sadar Police Station rushed to the scene. A case was registered immediately, and three of the accused were arrested and presented in court on Tuesday. They have been sent to police custody (PCR) till July 11. The police fear that this murder could lead to a gang war in the area. Ajay’s murder seems to be more than a personal dispute - it’s part of a larger turf war between young criminals trying to establish control in the locality. The search for the absconding Yadav brothers continues. Police have increased patrolling in the area to avoid any violence.