Gujarat shocker: Years of abuse boils over as wife plots murder, son executes it

AHMEDABAD: A plot, allegedly, fuelled by years of suspicion and domestic violence led to a brutal murder in Bavla's Kesardi village. Forty-year-old Vithal Patel was found dead in his field on Sunday morning. What initially seemed like an unknown attack turned out to be a well-planned crime by his own family.
Police investigation revealed that Vithal was allegedly beaten then strangled to death by his son, Ajay, and three associates. The cops arrested Ajay along with Pravin Mer, Ranjit Makwana and Viha Makwana — residents of Juval village in Sanand. Meanwhile, Vithal's wife, Sajjan, believed to have orchestrated the crime, is absconding.
According to the police, Vithal often suspected Sajjan's character and frequently assaulted her. Frustrated by the abuse, Sajjan and Ajay allegedly planned his murder. "The 20-year-old roped in his three friends, promising them Rs 1.2 lakh to assist in the crime. On Saturday night, they lured Vithal to his field under the pretence of a meeting. Once there, the four attacked him with a wooden stick before strangling him with a rope," said police.
The crime came to light after Vithal's brother, Baldev Patel, lodged a complaint at the Kerala GIDC police station. As per the police, the murder was executed between 10pm on Saturday and 8am on Sunday. The police registered a case against unknown persons, formed special teams and deployed technical surveillance to crack the case.
The investigation pointed to Ajay's involvement, with further probe revealing that he harboured deep resentment toward his father due to long-standing conflicts. Police arrested Ajay and his accomplices while efforts are underway to track down Sajjan.