MUZAFFARNAGAR: A village meeting attended by family members, relatives and local villagers to resolve a long-running ancestral property dispute ended in bloodshed after a former village pradhan allegedly shot dead his younger brother with a licensed rifle in Muzaffarnagar district, police said on Tuesday.The crime happened in Noornagar village under Purkazi police station limits on Monday.A family meeting to settle the dispute was underway when an argument broke out between the two brothers, both farmers, over division of ancestral property.During the altercation, Deepchand Gurjar, a former village head, allegedly opened fire on his younger brother Krishan Pal Gurjar, 55, a former chairman of Titawi Mill Cane Committee.He died on the spot.According to villagers, the dispute centred on a three-bigha plot registered in the name of Deepchand’s late elder son, Suneet, but currently in possession of Krishan’s family, with both sides claiming ownership.A few days before the incident, relatives had gathered at the family’s house to resolve the dispute, but the talks ended without any settlement.Villagers said the brothers also jointly owned several agricultural machines and charged each other rent for their use, underscoring the strained relationship between the two families.Police detained Deepchand and his son, Anshul, soon after the incident. Muzaffarnagar SSP Sanjay Kumar Verma said the licensed rifle allegedly used in the shooting was seized and the body was sent for postmortem.Further investigation was underway.Purkazi SHO Mannendra Bhati said, “A case under relevant BNS sections, including 103 (murder), has been registered on a complaint by a family member of the victim. Further action will be taken based on the evidence and witness statements.”
