A dhaba owner in Nagpur was allegedly murdered by two of his workers after he refused to give them a Diwali bonus. The attackers are still on the run. The police are investigating the case from various angles, including possible political rivalry. Soumitra Bose reported
In the early hours of Saturday, a dhaba owner named Raju Dhengre was brutally murdered by two of his workers near Kuhi phata in Nagpur rural police area. The workers, identified as Chhotu and Adi, allegedly strangled, stabbed, and bludgeoned Dhengre to death. The motive behind the murder was reportedly Dhengre’s refusal to meet the workers’ demand for a Diwali bonus.
Dhengre, a former sarpanch (village headman) of Surgaon village in Kuhi taluka, had recently won the gram panchayat polls. While the murder seems to be primarily motivated by a monetary issue, the police are also exploring the possibility of political rivalry playing a role in the crime.
Chhotu and Adi, who are originally from Mandla in Madhya Pradesh, were hired by Dhengre through a labor contractor about a month ago. Dhengre, who enjoyed a good reputation and held strong influence over the village, was politically connected and backed by the BJP. However, his rival camp had performed well in the recent GP election, diminishing his political clout.
After committing the murder, Chhotu and Adi fled with Dhengre’s car but met with an accident on the Nagpur-Umred road near Vihirgaon. CCTV footage captured the moment when the assailants emerged from the crashed car and escaped towards Dighori naka. Their subsequent movements could not be traced.
According to the police, Dhengre had an argument with Chhotu and Adi during dinner. The workers demanded money and a bonus for Diwali, and while Dhengre agreed to pay them, he wanted to do so at a later date. However, this disagreement escalated into a violent confrontation, with Chhotu and Adi strangling Dhengre with a rope, hitting his head with a hard object, and slashing his face with a sharp weapon. Another worker who witnessed the murder fled to the kitchen out of fear for his life.
Dhengre’s daughter became concerned when he did not respond to her repeated calls and contacted a nearby pan kiosk owner. The kiosk owner went to the dhaba and discovered Raju Dhengre’s lifeless body on a cot, prompting him to raise an alarm.
The police are now conducting a thorough investigation into the murder, considering various angles, including the monetary dispute and potential political rivalry. The alleged assailants, Chhotu and Adi, remain at large, and efforts are underway to apprehend them and bring them to justice..