Two men, Manoj Lodhi (25) and Rohit Lodhi (26), were brutally murdered late Friday night in Paankheda village, Kakori, their throats slit with a sharp weapon.

The gruesome discovery, reported around 10:15 p.m., sparked outrage among villagers, who accused the police of a delayed response. Additional forces were deployed to quell tensions as senior officials faced resentment from locals.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Vishwajeet Srivastava said the bodies were found outside the village, and initial probes point to personal enmity. “Manoj and Rohit, friends and residents of Paankheda, were returning from a party when they were intercepted and killed by assailants who fled,” he stated. The police have launched a detailed investigation, questioning locals and pursuing suspects, with the bodies sent for postmortem.

Manoj, an ITI student, and Rohit, a recent railway exam candidate, had left home around 6:30 p.m., relatives recalled. “We only learned of this when a journalist, Akash, called late at night,” a family member said. Manoj’s father is a farmer with a younger son, while Rohit’s father serves in the home guard. The family dismissed external rivalries, linking the murders to a simmering land dispute within their extended family involving Guddu, Lal, and Jeevan. “It was just a family matter, no outside enmity,” they insisted.

The killings have heightened unease in Paankheda, with villagers demanding swift justice. Srivastava assured a thorough probe, noting the victims’ throats were slit with precision, suggesting a planned attack. As authorities work to unravel the motive—whether tied to the land feud or a broader conflict—the incident underscores rising concerns over local disputes escalating into violence. The police presence remains strong to prevent further unrest in the shaken community.