Karni Sena district vice-president Rahul Darbar alias Vijay Pratap and dhaba owner Jitendra Pawar were killed in the clash in Ujjain’s Kanipura area. (Special Arrangement, enhanced with AI)A dispute over Karni Sena leadership turned deadly in Ujjain when two rival factions clashed at a dhaba in the Kanipura area in the early hours of Thursday, leaving a 42-year-old district vice-president of the organisation and the eatery owner dead and several others injured, police said.The attackers allegedly arrived with knives and swords after an argument over an official Karni Sena position escalated into violence.The deceased were identified as Karni Sena district vice-president Rahul Darbar alias Vijay Pratap, 42, a resident of Nimanvasa, and dhaba owner Jitendra Pawar, 35, of Undasa. Police have registered an FIR for murder and rioting against five named accused — including Shakti Singh and Sonu Banjara — along with 15 to 20 unidentified persons.Police said a case had been registered based on the injured men’s statements against Shakti Singh, Arpit, Ramesh Mahana, Anna and Sonu Banjara, besides 15-20 unidentified persons.According to police, the incident began with a verbal altercation between Darbar and Shakti Singh over the appointment to a Karni Sena post. The two groups had gathered at Lucky Darbar Dhaba around 2 am, apparently to settle their differences. During the gathering, Singh allegedly slapped Darbar, following which Darbar retaliated. The argument then intensified, with supporters of Darbar allegedly assaulting Singh.Also Read | Protester’s death amid Karni Sena’s UGC stir threatens to upend peace in RajasthanSingh subsequently left the dhaba and allegedly called his associate Sonu Banjara for help. He later returned with Banjara, his brother Arpit, Ramesh Mahana, Anna and more than a dozen other men, according to the police account. The group allegedly reached the dhaba carrying knives, swords and other sharp-edged weapons and attacked Darbar and others present there.Darbar sustained critical injuries in the attack and was rushed to a private hospital, where he died during treatment on Thursday morning. Pawar, who owned the dhaba and was present at the spot, was also stabbed. His body was subsequently found in bushes near the eatery.Story continues below this adTwo other men, including Shakti Singh and Shravan Kumar, were injured in the clash and were admitted to Charak Hospital for treatment. Earlier accounts had also identified Pappu Jat among those injured. Police reached the dhaba after being alerted to the violence, inspected the scene and recorded statements from the injured.Chimanganj police station in-charge Vivek Kanodia told The Indian Express the two men had “fought over a Karni Sena posting, and they also had 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.Also Read | After Bihar setback, will upper-caste discontent hurt BJP in Uttar Pradesh?Investigators are examining CCTV footage from the dhaba and surrounding areas and conducting searches for the accused. Police are also trying to establish the precise sequence of events, including the role played by each member of the group that allegedly arrived at the dhaba after the initial altercation.Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. 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