Mumbai: A BJP office-bearer was today
found murdered inside his office at Dharavi in Central Mumbai
in what is suspected to be the fallout of a political rivalry
against the backdrop of recently held city civic polls.
Vasantlal Khota (52), who was the manager of Dharavi
Grain Dealers Association, had extensively campaigned for Shiv
Sena leader and Mumbai Mayor Shraddha Jadhav during recently
concluded city civic polls, locals said. Jadhav won from Antop
Hill area.
BJP spokesperson Atul Shah said political motive could
be behind Khota's murder.
"Congress and NCP leaders had used abusive language
during campaign against him and three BJP corporators got
elected from Dharavi. Khota was a very dedicated worker of the
party," he said.
The deceased, who has criminal antecedents, had injury
marks all over his body and his throat was also slit when he
was discovered inside his second floor office in Priyadarshani
building at Dharavi this morning, police said.
When one of his employees reached the office, she
spotted blood near the door which is locked from inside.
Sensing amiss, the staff alerted the police and locals who
rushed to the spot and broke open the door to find Khota's
body smeared in blood, they said.
According to police, the deceased had stepped out of
his house last night after he received a phone call.
"His (Khota's) family had been calling at his mobile
number since last night but he did not attend the calls.
Somebody who knew him might have slit his throat and stabbed
him to death. His mobile phone and the sharp object used in
the crime were yet to be traced," said a police officer.
Khota is survived by wife and two children.
Dharavi police have registered a case of murder and
are awaiting the postmortem report.
PTI
First Published: Monday, February 20, 2012, 20:52