Mumbai(The Hindu): Two people were arrested on Tuesday in connection with the murder of 45-year-old Congress worker Manoj Dubey, who was found stabbed near Asalfa Metro station on Monday morning.

Dubey, a resident of Asalfa, was rushed to Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, where he succumbed. Inquiries revealed that he had got into an argument with a Bharatiya Janata Party worker on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, and had also had an argument late on Sunday night after he dashed against a bike with his own.

“While conducting inquiries, we found a couple of people who had seen the assailants flee. We identified the accused as Umesh Singh and Jitendra Mishra, both residents of Asalfa, and activists of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Manch by their own admission,” an officer at Saki Naka police station said.

The police tracked the duo from Mumbai to Bhusaval to Igatpuri near Nashik, where they were intercepted and brought to Mumbai on Tuesday morning, after which they were arrested.

“Interrogation revealed that Mr. Singh, too, had got into an argument with Dubey on Sunday evening in Asalfa. Mr. Singh wanted to put up some banners of his outfit, and Dubey told him that this was (local Congress MLA) Naseem Khan’s area, and that no other banners would be tolerated. The argument escalated and Dubey slapped Mr. Singh. However, the matter was resolved there,” the officer said.

The officer said by this time, word of Dubey’s war of words had spread on Facebook, further making him unpopular with the BJP and related activists in the area.

“The same night, Mr. Singh and Mr. Thakur had dinner together in Ghatkopar, after which Mr. Singh went home and Mr. Thakur dropped a friend to his house before heading home. It was during this time that Mr. Thakur’s bike was dashed near Asalfa metro station against Dubey’s, who, too, was on his way home, leading to a violent altercation,” the officer said.

The accused have allegedly told the police that there is a shanty close to the scene of the crime where a lottery centre is being operated, and that the shanty also has some swords and daggers. Mr. Thakur allegedly ran there and grabbed a sword and attacked Dubey. By this time, Mr. Singh, who stays close by, got to know about the fight and reached the spot to join in the assault.

“In the chaos that ensued, the accused managed to flee while the eyewitnesses were arranging for an ambulance for Dubey,” another police officer said.

Mr. Singh and Mr. Thakur have been charged with murder under the Indian Penal Code and, after being produced in court on Tuesday afternoon, were remanded in police custody for seven days. Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP Manjunath Singe confirmed the arrest, and said investigations are under way.