Three men accused of stabbing a Bharatiya Janata Party youth worker to death in Surat were arrested from Jalgaon and brought back to Surat on Saturday, police said.
According to Udhna police, Jay Dalal, vice-president of the youth wing in BJP’s Dindoli ward, was attacked on Sunday night following an argument while he was with friends and others in a group.
Police said the accused allegedly attacked Dalal with knives. While several people fled from the spot, Jay’s friends rushed him to a hospital in Udhna Darwaja, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Jay’s mother, Jayshree Dalal, is also associated with the BJP women’s wing in Surat.
Following the incident, Jayshree Dalal lodged a murder complaint at the Udhna police station against Kishan Parmar, Pankaj Patil and others.
During investigation, police traced the accused to Jalgaon district in Maharashtra.
Police arrested Milind Koli, Shubham Patil and Rohit Sonavne, all residents of Jalgaon district.
Udhna Police Inspector R M Thakore said Jay Dalal, who ran restaurant and hotel businesses in Dindoli and Vesu, had left home after receiving a call from a friend and later met the group at Udhna Road No. 6.
Police said the verbal altercation escalated into a fatal attack, during which the victim sustained five to six stab injuries.
Investigators identified Milind Koli as the main accused, while others allegedly assisted in the murder. Police said some suspects involved in the case are still absconding and efforts are underway to arrest them.
Officials further revealed that several criminal cases were already registered against the accused. Police said 18 criminal cases had been registered against Kishan Parmar, who had earlier been detained under the Prevention of Anti-Social Activities Act (PASA) and was recently released.