Loan dispute turns fatal: 25-year-old stabbed to death under Bopal bridge in Ahmedabad

What began as a simmering dispute over a monetary loan culminated in a brutal public murder under the Bopal Vakil Saheb Bridge late on Tuesday night, sending shockwaves through the Sarkhej area. A 25-year-old man was stabbed multiple times in full public view, allegedly by an acquaintance with whom he had a longstanding financial disagreement.

The deceased, identified as Shiva Dinesh Kalasua (25), a native of Piplada village in Dungarpur district of Rajasthan and presently residing near Lalbhai Centre in Maninagar, was declared dead at Saraswati Hospital after being rushed there in a grievously injured condition.

The Sarkhej police have registered a case under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, in connection with the incident that took place around 10.30 pm on February 10 beneath the bridge opposite Saraswati Hospital in Bopal.

The sequence of events

According to the complaint lodged by Kishan Kalasua (25), a relative of the deceased, the fatal assault was the result of a dispute over repayment of money allegedly owed by the accused to Shiva.

Police said that the prime accused, Sunil Laxmanbhai Tajubhai Khokhria (23), a resident of Ghatlodia originally from Dungarpur, had earlier borrowed money from Shiva. On the night of the incident, Sunil allegedly avoided Shiva’s phone calls. Subsequently, Shiva was contacted through a mutual acquaintance and called to meet near the Bopal bridge, where he was seated inside a parked bus with friends.

Investigators said Sunil arrived at the spot accompanied by two others, including co-accused Jayesh Vachubhai (Balai) and another unidentified associate. An argument soon broke out over the pending loan amount.

The altercation escalated rapidly. Police said two of the assailants allegedly restrained Shiva, while Sunil attacked him with a knife, stabbing him four to five times. He was also allegedly beaten with a stick during the assault.

Despite sustaining severe injuries, Shiva reportedly attempted to escape but collapsed soon after. He was shifted to Saraswati Hospital, where doctors on duty declared him dead.

Accused rounded up

Sarkhej police said they have rounded up the accused and initiated further investigation into the matter. Officials described the killing as a “premeditated escalation of a financial dispute”. It was revealed during the investigation that the deceased had taken around ₹2 lakh from the accused before Diwali, and for the past several months had been avoiding calls from the accused. 

Police records reveal that Sunil Khokhria has a history of criminal cases registered against him at various police stations, including Vastrapur, Vasana, Gujarat University and Sarkhej, under provisions relating to assault, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and breach of public order. Jayesh, too, has prior cases registered at Sola, Bopal and Bodakdev police stations involving theft and assault-related offences.

Investigators are examining call detail records and statements of eyewitnesses to ascertain whether the meeting was deliberately orchestrated to confront the victim.

 Public killing raises alarm

The murder, carried out in a public place under a busy bridge in Bopal, has raised concerns about law and order in the rapidly developing suburban stretch. Police officials stated that forensic teams have collected evidence from the scene, and the post-mortem report is pending.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the immediate trigger for the attack was the dispute over money. However, police said they are probing whether any additional motives or prior threats were involved.