Dehradun, 14 June

A dispute over irrigation water turned deadly in Uttarakhand's Bairagiwala village, where a 44-year-old BJP functionary was allegedly beaten to death and three of his family members critically injured, police said on Sunday.

Vinod was killed on Saturday after an altercation with a neighbour, Imtiaz, over watering an adjacent field. Police said a group of more than 40 people armed with lathis, wooden planks, hammers and shovels later stormed his house and attacked the family. Vinod died on the spot after being struck on the head with a hammer.

His brothers Ashok and Rajesh, and sister-in-law Sushma, sustained serious injuries and were admitted to the hospital.

The police registered a case against 12 named accused and 30-35 unidentified persons on charges including murder and rioting. The FIR names Razzak, Imtiaz, Aman, Yunus, Shahbaz, Sharafat Ali, Masoom, Adil, Shamoon, Salman, Javed and Intezar.

The killing triggered unrest in the village. Hindu groups blocked roads, and the victim's family initially refused to allow his body to be taken away until strict action was promised.

Right-wing groups allegedly pelted the accused's houses with stones, vandalised property and set one house ablaze.

Authorities later demolished the allegedly illegal residence of one of the accused, Aman Ali, amid chants of "Jai Shri Ram". Heavy police deployment, including the Provincial Armed Constabulary, remained in place on Sunday.