New Delhi, Sept. 16 -- A seemingly trivial refusal to lend a matchbox to light a cigarette escalated into 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 in front of a wine shop in the Keshav Puram area when the victims, Bhawani and Asha Ram, allegedly got into an argument with three people after they were asked for a matchbox to light a cigarette, they said.
According to police, the victims told the accused that they did not have a matchbox, following which a verbal spat broke out. The accused allegedly attacked the two men with fists and a knife during the heated exchange, a senior police officer said.
Bhawani was rushed to Deep Chand Bandhu Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. He had sustained a deep stab wound on the left side of his back, the officer said.
Asha Ram, 32, suffered a stab injury to his left lower chest and was undergoing treatment. He was declared unfit to give a statement, police said.
The deceased's brother Ramcharan said he learnt about the attack after receiving a call from Asha Ram and immediately 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 his brother was a construction worker and a native of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. He lived alone in Delhi for work, while his wife and three children stayed back in Amethi.
Police arrested three accused, including a juvenile, in the murder case registered at Keshav Puram police station, and recovered the weapon allegedly used in the stabbing.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.