Amreli, Nov 17 (IANS): Madhuben Joshi, a 55-year-old local BJP functionary, was killed following an altercation with her neighbors at Dhari in Gujarat's Amreli district.

The incident, which took place late on Wednesday night, has sent ripples of shock through the community. Madhuben Joshi had previously served as the secretary of the BJP's Amreli district unit and as an elected member of the Dhari taluka panchayat.

According to Himkar Singh, district Superintendent of Police, three individuals have been arrested on Thursday in connection with the brutal attack that also left Joshi's son, Ravi, injured.

The accused, identified as Rushik Mehta (22), Jayom Mehta (20) and Hariom Mehta (18), are all residents of Shiv Nagar society in Dhari.

The root cause of the incident appears to be a minor accident outside Joshi's residence.

The police investigation revealed that the altercation began over this incident and escalated quickly. The accused reportedly armed themselves with swords and attacked both Joshi and her son. While Ravi sustained injuries, his mother succumbed to a fatal wound after her arm's vein was severed in the assault.

Ritesh Joshi, another son of the victim, revealed a deeper history of tension between the families, citing a previous disagreement involving firecrackers.

He alleged that the tragic incident was premeditated, claiming that the accused intentionally hit his brother's motorcycle with their car, leading to the fatal confrontation.