According to Datta Karale, DCP (Zone III), on Tuesday morning, while MNS activists were forcing people to shut down shops in protest of Raj’s arrest, Jaiprakash Dubey, a prominent North Indians of the village and a BJP worker, refused to shut his shop and attacked the MNS activists. The matter worsened in the evening when MNS activists, led by Moreshwar’s younger brother Gurunath, clashed with the North Indians.

“In the evening Jaiprakash Dubey came near Bhoir’s residence and challenged him,” said Shoba Bhoir, the sarpanch of the village. “In retaliation, Gurunath and 10 others attacked the Dubey family. In the clash that followed, Gurunath was stabbed to death,” added Karale. The MNS activists, in retaliation attacked the Dubeys and Omprakash and Mayur were lynched to death.

“It was a pre-planned attack,” alleged S S Dubey, elder brother of Omprakash and Mayur. The bodies were taken to their hometown, Varanasi, on Wednesday evening. The cops have still not arrested anyone in the case.