Luv Johar’s family at their residence in Sonepat. (Photo: Gajendra yadav) Luv Johar’s family at their residence in Sonepat. (Photo: Gajendra yadav)

At 10.33 pm on Sunday, Luv Johar posted a picture with seven of his brothers and cousins — the group leaning on the headboard of a bed — on the ‘Johar Family’ group, a WhatsApp group of 60 members of Johar community. Two hours later, the 28-year-old was dead.

He was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a log by a group led by Dinesh Johar aka Bunty (40) in Sonepat’s Delhi Camp locality, who saw the WhatsApp image as a “challenge”. Luv’s four cousins were injured in the “fight”.

Hours earlier, Bunty had a verbal duel with one ‘Pummy’ Johar over money on the ‘Johar Family’ group. “He was in a foul mood and when my brother posted the image, he saw it as a show of strength,” says Ajay Johar, 32, Luv’s elder brother. The family owns a car air-conditioner shop.

Sitting in her two-storey house in Sonepat’s Chaar Marla locality, Kavita Johar (40), Luv’s eldest sibling, says the murder was a result of Bunty’s anger over local body elections. “Five years ago, Bunty contested municipal elections, but our family backed his opponent, who won. The municipal elections are a few months away and Bunty formed the WhatsApp group to ensure that no one stands against him this time. But we did not commit to anything and he saw the image of Luv and my other brothers as a challenge,” says Kavita, a cosmetologist.

After Luv posted the picture, says Ajay, Bunty called up and asked Luv to come to Delhi Camp. “There were a group of people there and we were attacked with sticks… Someone hit Luv on the head with a log and he died on the spot…,” he says.

‘Johar Family’ WhatsApp group, the family says, was formed on March 10 for members of Johar clan, a community of jewellers. Bunty was one of its four administrators. “In January, elders of Johar Samaaj in Sonepat decided that we must form a group. A door-to-door drive was conducted and 2,500 people registered. We had to give Rs 100 and our Aadhaar details. Later, on March 10, a WhatsApp group was formed with 60 male members from the community and we mostly shared ‘forwards’ and invitation to events,” says Kush, Luv’s twin brother.

Luv was part of three family groups on WhatsApp — one with his two brothers and three sisters, one which also had his cousins and the ‘Johar Family’ group. Ajay says the picture was meant for the group with his immediate family, “but since names of the groups are similar, he posted the image on the wrong one. There was no intention to intimidate.”

Scrolling through the now defunct WhatsApp group, Ajay points to how all members quit the moment someone wrote ‘Luv ki hospital mein death ho gai (Luv has been declared dead in the hospital)’.

In another room, Luv’s wife Kavita, is sitting with her nine-month old son in her lap. “On Sunday morning, my son uttered ‘Papa’ for the first time. Luv was elated. Two weeks ago, we had found out that I was four-months pregnant… I don’t have a phone and have no understanding of WhatsApp. I can’t believe my husband was murdered over a message,” she says.

On Ajay’s complaint, a case has been registered against six members of Bunty’s family under IPC Sections 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt). “Five teams have been formed to speak to all members of the WhatsApp group. Preliminary investigation shows that it was a fight for dominance in the community. There have been no arrests yet,” said investigating officer Shri Krishan.

A kilometre away, in Delhi Camp, Bunty’s 13-year-old daughter has been listening to her aunt and cousins complain about the events of June 3. Her father, mother and two teenaged brothers — who are named in the FIR — have been on the run since the murder. Bunty’s brothers, also named in the FIR, have been taken in by the police for questioning.

“We heard people shouting outside but before we arrived Luv was murdered. My family took Luv and the others injured to the hospital. But the police has taken my husband and brother-in-law for interrogation,” says Bunty’s brother Rakesh’s wife, adding, “They were not even part of the WhatsApp group… Our families had refused to join the community group.” Rakesh owns a bathroom fittings store.

While blaming “only Bunty” for the events of June 3, Rakesh’s wife says “He was drunk… It was a petty ego tussle over a message. I understand the plight of Luv’s family but punish Bunty, why have they named my husband.” The family says one ‘Sanjay’ from the Rajput community is responsible for the murder. “He hit Luv with the log,” says Rakesh’s daughter. He is not named in the FIR.

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