Ujjain dhaba clash between Karni Sena factions leaves two dead

A dispute over a leadership position within the Karni Sena turned deadly in Ujjain early Thursday, when two rival factions clashed at a dhaba in the Kanipura area. The violence left the organisation's 42-year-old district vice-president and the eatery's owner dead, with several others injured, according to police.

The deceased were identified as Rahul Darbar, also known as Vijay Pratap, a resident of Nimanvasa, and Jitendra Pawar, 35, who owned the Lucky Darbar Dhaba and lived in Undasa.

Police said the incident began as a verbal argument between Darbar and Shakti Singh over an appointment to a Karni Sena post. The two groups had gathered at the dhaba around 2 am to resolve their differences. The situation escalated when Singh allegedly slapped Darbar, who retaliated, leading to a physical altercation in which Darbar's supporters allegedly assaulted Singh.

Singh then left the premises and reportedly called his associate Sonu Banjara for help. He returned with Banjara, his brother Arpit, Ramesh Mahana, Anna, and over a dozen others, allegedly armed with knives, swords, and other sharp weapons. The group attacked Darbar and others present at the dhaba.

Darbar sustained critical injuries and was rushed to a private hospital, where he died during treatment on Thursday morning. Pawar, who was at the spot, was also stabbed; his body was later found in bushes near the eatery.

Two other men, including Shakti Singh and Shravan Kumar, were injured in the clash and admitted to Charak Hospital. Police have registered an FIR for murder and rioting against five named accused — Shakti Singh, Arpit, Ramesh Mahana, Anna, and Sonu Banjara — along with 15 to 20 unidentified persons.

Chimanganj police station in-charge Vivek Kanodia said the two men had fought over a Karni Sena posting and also had an old rivalry over land disputes.

The killings triggered tension in the area, with a large number of Karni Sena members gathering at Charak Hospital after Darbar's death. Police were deployed at the hospital, and additional force was put on alert to prevent the situation from escalating.

Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the dhaba and surrounding areas and conducting searches for the accused. Police are also working to establish the precise sequence of events and the role played by each member of the group that allegedly arrived after the initial altercation.