Matchbox refusal over cigarette ends in murder of Delhi construction worker, 3 held
A refusal to lend a matchbox to light a cigarette led to a fatal quarrel and stabbing in northwest Delhi, leaving a 30-year-old construction worker dead and another man injured, police said on Wednesday.
The incident took place on Tuesday outside a wine shop in the Keshav Puram area, where the victims, Bhawani and Asha Ram, allegedly got into an argument with three people after being asked for a matchbox, police said.
According to a senior police officer, the two men told the accused that they did not have a matchbox, following which a verbal altercation broke out. The accused allegedly assaulted them with fists and a knife during the quarrel.
Bhawani was taken to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. He had suffered a deep stab wound on the left side of his back, the officer said.
Asha Ram, 32, sustained a stab injury to his left lower chest and was undergoing treatment. He was declared unfit to give a statement, police said.
Bhawani's brother Ramcharan said he learnt about the attack after receiving a call from Asha Ram and rushed to the hospital.
"I got a call from Asha Ram that both of the people had been stabbed. I had gone to Dwarka at that time but rushed to the hospital. My brother died in the hospital," Ramcharan said.
"He was on his way when someone asked for a bidi. Upon refusing, he was stabbed with a knife," he alleged.
Ramcharan said Bhawani, a construction worker from Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, lived alone in Delhi for work, while his wife and three children stayed in their native place.
"He has three children. He used to live in Delhi alone while his family is back in Amethi," he said, demanding swift action against those responsible.
"His murderer should be held within 24 hours. Nothing has happened," Ramcharan said.
A case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 109(1) (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered at Keshav Puram police station.
Police analysed technical inputs and developed local intelligence to identify those allegedly involved in the attack. The main accused, Naresh Bahadur alias Nepali, 19, was apprehended along with Tarun, 19, and a juvenile, the officer said.
"Naresh stabbed both victims with a knife, while Tarun and the juvenile assaulted them with fists. We have recovered the weapon of offence at the instance of Naresh," the officer said.
Further investigation is underway to establish the circumstances that led to the quarrel and the individual roles of those allegedly involved, police said.
