Police booked four people for allegedly killing their 70-year-old neighbour in Ambala’s Khanpur Brahman village after a clash over disposal of cow dung.
The group also disposed of the body under a heap of cow dung, police said on Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Haridutt Sharma.
One of the accused, Ramesh, was also injured in the skirmish and is undergoing treatment at district civil hospital in the city.
Probe officials said the group shared an old enmity with the deceased and they would often fight over the space for disposal of waste and cow dung, locally called kurari.
Police said Ramesh owned a piece of kurari land, but Haridutt had begun to claim control as it was also close to his residence.
On Thursday morning, when Haridutt was going for work, Ramesh had an argument with him, following which he and three others allegedly thrashed the victim with weapons.
“Haridutt’s family members found his body under a heap of cow dung, where he likely died of suffocation and his injuries,” a police official probing the case said.
The body was sent for an autopsy and later handed over to the family.
{{/usCountry}}The body was sent for an autopsy and later handed over to the family.
{{/usCountry}}Panjokhara police station house officer inspector Vikrant said based on the complaint, a case under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code was registered against four men including Ramesh.