Patna: A 48-year-old farmer was stabbed to death following a dispute over a land deal involving Rs 4 lakh in Samastipur district on Saturday morning, police said.The victim, identified as Ajit Kumar Sahni, had given Rs 4 lakh to a villager for a land deal in his name. He was allegedly lured to Bhagirathpur village on the pretext of returning his money before being attacked with knives. Police suspect a financial dispute arising out of a land transaction behind the murder.Ajit was a resident of ward no. 4 of Jute Mill Garha. According to the victim’s family, Ajit had entered into an agreement with fellow villager Jhagru Sahni to purchase two kathas of land for Rs 4 lakh. He had paid the entire amount in advance and obtained an agreement on stamp paper, under which the land was to be registered in his name within six months.However, even after the stipulated period expired, Jhagru allegedly neither registered the land nor returned the money. Ajit repeatedly approached him for the registration of the land, but he was given various excuses. Later, the accused allegedly refused to sell the land and promised to return the money.Recounting the sequence of events, the victim’s son Rahul alleged that his father had been repeatedly demanding the money without success.“Three days ago, my father was called with documents on the pretext of returning the money. When he reached there, the accused and his associates allegedly snatched the papers and asked him to come back after three days, assuring that the money would be returned,” Rahul alleged.On Saturday, Ajit went on his motorcycle to Jhagru’s house to collect the money. According to the family, members of the accused’s family caught hold of him and repeatedly stabbed him with knives, leaving him critically injured. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries.Following information about the incident, police reached the spot and initiated an investigation. The body has been sent to a govt hospital for post-mortem, while statements of family members are being recorded.Sadar SDPO-II Sanjay Kumar said preliminary investigation suggested that the murder stemmed from a financial dispute related to the purchase of land.“A named FIR on the basis of the family’s complaint has been registered. Police teams are conducting raids to arrest the accused, and all those involved will be nabbed soon,” he said.
