The panches or leaders of his tribe are bargaining for money from Demti -- just because his body happened to be found near that village. The post mortem report says the death was accidental: a drunken Bhadubhai was doddering along when he fell into an unwalled well, level with the ground.

But that doesn't hold water with the panches. In tribal Sabarkantha, the custom is that when any unnatural death takes place -- be it by accident, murder, or even suicide -- leaders of the dead man's community lead a band armed with bows and arrows, spears, axes, and sticks to the village near which his body is found. This siege of sorts is called charotaru. The dead man's family doesn't grieve either -- that waits till the bargaining for money is over.

Talks are held, almost always in the presence of police. If they fail, the invaders declare ver or enmity. This means people of that village will be killed. The village will retaliate, and the enmity will live on.

Police are helpless. The tribals are stubborn, and till a settlement is reached, police officers posted in the area are on edge. Experience has taught police not to use force: the tribals' arrows are sharp, their aim accurate. Influential tribal politicians, too, insist that the police let tribals solve the problem their way.

So as the air thrums with the buzz of flies around Bhadubhai's corpse, and some 50 policemen stand guard, most of them with handkerchiefs tied around their faces, the old chieftains squat stolidly near Demti. Police officers curse them. But all the police can do is wait. Villagers spoke of how one body had lain untended for 65 days before a settlement was reached.

Here is the chronicle of Bhadubhai's death. On June 10, 55-year-old Bhadubhai, patriarch to 11 children and grandchildren, was contracted by a man of Gavpipal village in Rajasthan (close to Gujarat border) to transport some bamboo on his camel to Dantad village. After off-loading the cargo, Bhadubhai is said to have got drunk in Lambadia. On the night of June 11, a drunken Bhadubhai walked along Demti village and fell into the well of Hirabhai Velabhai Parmar, also a tribal.

On June 12, police was called and body was taken to Khedbrahma civil hospital. After post mortem, it was kept in the morgue till Bhadubhai's relatives reached the hospital and identified it.

Here on begins a tale straight out of a magic-realist novel. First, the tribals of Bhadubhai's Jotasan objected to the removal of the body from where it was found. The unrelenting tribals forced police to show them where the body was found, and put it there. At the same time, a 2,000-strong mob of armed tribals from Jotasan laid siege to Demti. The village lies deserted now.

A police force was rushed to avoid trouble. And then began the endless sittings of the community leaders of both sides. First the blood money was pegged at Rs 5 lakh, which then came down to Rs 3 lakh. Though it was not a murder, the panches of Jotasan argued that Bhadubhai had died because ``the people of Demti had dug the well''. Rounds after round of talks failed,The problem got more complicated. Jotasan villagers then started demanding that even Gavpipal and Dantad village pay compensation. The reason: because Bhadubhai had taken contract from Gavpipal and gone to Dantad, both the village are equally guilty.

Initially, Demti, Gavpipal and Dantad showed willingness to pay money. But they suddenly backed out, saying that it would mean admitting they were at fault.

The fields near Demti look like a battlefield of old: armed Jotasan tribals baying for rivals' kept in check by police on one hand and senseless talks by groups of panches. Interestingly, the warring factions call a ceasefire at sunset. They return the next morning to bargain through the day.

District superintendent of police (DSP) Anil Pratham said Jotasan tribals now want police to register an FIR against two persons of Demti village. ``Police is filing an FIR. I think the tribals will agree to cremate the body today,'' he said. However, he ruled out any possibility of murder.

And what will happen with the compensation money that is paid? The dead man's family will get some Rs 5,000, say locals. The rest? The panches keep it, as they have been traditionally doing so. However, the day the body is cremated the villagers will get a feast. Usually, a bull is slaughtered and the meat distributed to everyone.