Ratlam (Madhya Pradesh): A double murder case was solved and out of 21 accused, seven were arrested on Tuesday. The victims, friends and group members, were allegedly killed over a long-standing grudge between two groups.

According to police, the bodies of two youths were discovered near Kandervasa Fante on the Mhow-Neemuch four-lane on March 21.

SP Rahul Kumar Lodha said that the victims, Keshav Gurjar and Gajendra Singh Dodiya, were riding a bike when they were struck and dragged by a four-wheeler on the unpaved road from Bangrod to Negadda village. The accused then collectively attacked them with hockey sticks, and stones before placing their bodies on the four-lane to make it appear like an accident.

A case was registered and an investigation was underway. Following an analysis of call details from the mobile phones of both the accused and the deceased, police formed five teams to apprehend them.

The motive behind the killings was an ongoing gang war between the deceased youths’ Saffron group and the accused Vishwas group. The gangs had a history of conflicts, including altercations in jail and threats, as well as illegal fundraising activities.

The police are compiling a list of such active gangs in Ratlam, which frequently demonstrate their strength through vehicle rallies in the name of religion and culture.

So far, seven people have been arrested, including history-sheeter Suryapal Singh Padiyar, Rahul Jat, Bablu Gurjar, Shailendra Dindor, Ankit Kumawat, Yogesh Rathore and Abhishek Jat.

Several suspects, including Kanha Jat, Deepak Jat, Pradeep Joshi, Samrath Chaudhary, Rohit Kumawat and Deepak Gehlot among others were still at large.

Three vehicles used in the murder, a shovel and mobile phones worth Rs 1.5 lakh have been seized from them. SP Lodha commended the efforts of the police teams involved in the case and announced a reward.