Two labourers, one in Nawada and another in Jehanabad, were killed on Thursday allegedly by their respective employers following disagreement over wages.

Police said the first incident occurred at Thali under Govindpur police station of Nawada district when Krishna Yadav was allegedly lynched by Balgovind Yadav, the owner of a brick kiln, and his associates.

Nawada superintendent of police Surendra Lal Das said Krishna used to work at Balgovind’s kiln as a tractor driver.

“This morning, Krishna went to work and asked Balgovind to pay his wages. However, the two sides got involved in a verbal dispute. We have received reports that Balgovind and his associates beat up Krishna with batons and iron rods. Krishna died on the spot,” a source in the police said.

An FIR has been lodged at Govindpur police station against Balgovind and four other persons.

The police have conducted raids at several places to arrest the accused, who are absconding. The police have seized two tractors from the kiln, the SP said.

Following the incident, villagers staged demonstrations in the area. Rajauli deputy superintendent of police Sarfuddin Rahman rushed to the spot and assured the demonstrators that stern action would be taken against the offenders and compensation would be given to the victim’s kin.

In another incident, the body of one Dharmendra was found from a place at Dihuri village under Ghoshi police station in Jehanabad district. The deceased used to work at an ice-cream factory at Raniganj village under Imamganj police station in Gaya district.

Jehanabad town deputy superintendent of police Nagendra Pati Tripathi told The Telegraph that Dharmendra’s parents have lodged an FIR with the Ghoshi police station, accusing their son’s employers of chopping off one of his hands before killing him.

Sources in Imamganj police said a compressor at the ice-cream factory exploded on Tuesday and it is possible that Dharmendra was injured in the accident.

“To avoid police action, the factory owner probably took Dharmendra for treatment at some other place but he did not survive. We are not ruling out the chance of his body being thrown near his native village in a bid to misguide the police that it was a case of accident death,” a source said.

Elsewhere in Nawada, an infant on Thursday died after being injured during a scuffle between his family elders over some property dispute, Nawada town deputy superintendent of police Shaharyar Akhtar said.