'Betrayal' in business turns deadly as 70-year-old kills partner’s kids

Rajasthan: In a deeply disturbing incident, a 70-year-old man in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, allegedly abducted and killed two children of his business partner before hanging their bodies at his residence. The accused, identified as Shyam Singh Bhati, reportedly committed the heinous act out of resentment over a fallout in their business partnership.

Victims lured from school

Tamanna (12) and Shivpal (8), the children of Pradeep Devasai, went missing on Friday, January 24, after leaving for school in Pal. Their disappearance prompted their family to file a police report the next day. On Sunday, their lifeless bodies were discovered in Bhati’s rented house near his bangle factory in Boranada, Jodhpur.

According to police, Bhati had picked up the children from school under the pretense of dropping them home but instead took them to his house, where he killed them. The bodies were hanged post-mortem to stage the scene, authorities revealed.

Business feud spirals into tragedy

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West), Rajarshi Raj Verma, stated that Bhati and Devasai had been business partners for nine months, operating a bangle factory. While Bhati provided the investment, Devasai worked as a craftsman. However, Devasai decided to end the partnership due to undisclosed reasons, which reportedly caused financial losses to Bhati and fueled his anger.

"This resentment led Bhati to target Devasai’s children as an act of revenge," Verma said.

Accused leaves a note before fleeing

At the crime scene, police recovered a note allegedly written by Bhati, admitting to the murders and expressing his intent to take his own life due to the “betrayal” by Devasai. Bhati is currently absconding, and authorities have launched an extensive manhunt to apprehend him.

A community in shock

The tragic deaths have left the community in Boranada shaken. The victims’ family originally hails from Uttar Pradesh, while the accused is from Phalodi, Rajasthan. Residents are grappling with the horrific nature of the crime, driven by a business dispute that spiraled out of control.