Delhi man stabbed, friend injured in argument over payment for gutka

In yet another instance of murder and violence over a trivial issue, an 18-year-old man was killed and his friend injured after they were attacked with a sharp weapon on Sunday night in north-east Delhi’s Seemapuri, allegedly by a shopkeeper and his two associates following an argument over payment for a packet of chewing tobacco (gutka)

In yet another instance of murder and violence over a trivial issue, an 18-year-old man was killed and his friend injured after they were attacked with a sharp weapon on Sunday night in north-east Delhi’s Seemapuri, allegedly by a shopkeeper and his two associates following an argument over payment for a packet of chewing tobacco (gutka).

A Delhi Police team reached the hospital and learnt that one of the injured men was declared dead on arrival. (Representational image/Stock photo)

The main attacker, identified as Narsingh, 45, was arrested along with his cousin, Hemant,28, and friend, Mohammad Amir,30. Narshingh and Amir were drunk at the time of the crime, police said. A pair of scissors that Narsingh used to attack the two men has been recovered, the police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) R Sathiyasundaram said around 11.30pm Sunday, the police received information from Guru Teg Bahadur (GTB) hospital that two persons were admitted there with stab wounds.

A police team reached the hospital and learnt that one of the injured men, identified by a single name as Shoaib, was declared brought dead. He had suffered a stab wound to the chest, which punctured his heart, the DCP said, quoting doctors. His injured friend was identified also by a single name as Suhail,18, and he suffered a stab wound to his abdomen, the DCP said.

A case of murder and attempt to murder was registered and investigation was taken up. During the investigation, the victims’ two friends, Anees and Subhan, told the police that their friend Sameer had gone to buy gutka from a shop in Old Seemapuri around 9.30pm. The kiosk was run by Narsingh, who was consuming liquor with his friend Amir.

“Narsingh’s cousin, Hemant, was present at the shop when Sameer went to buy gutka. An altercation broke out between the two over payment for gutka. Hemant put a towel around Sameer’s neck and pulled him. Sameer left after threatening Hemant,” said the DCP, quoting the statement of the arrested persons as well as the victims’ two friends.

Police said Sameer informed his friends Anees, Subhan, Suhail, Shoaib and Arshad about the altercation. Thereafter, all six persons went to Narsingh’s shop to teach Hemant a lesson. They overpowered Hemant and began assaulting him. As Amir tried to intervene, they assaulted him as well.

“Seeing that, Narshingh picked up a pair of scissors and stabbed Shoaib and Suhail. The six people panicked and ran away. On the way, Shoaib and Suhail complained of breathlessness. They were taken to a local doctor, who referred them to GTB hospital,” said the DCP, adding that the police are looking for Sameer to get his version of the events that led to the fight.

This is the sixth case of murder over trivial issues in the city this month. On October 8, a 30-year-old taxi driver was stabbed to death allegedly by his friends after he turned down their request to give them a free ride to their homes in his cab in north-west Delhi’s Sawan Park near Ashok Vihar. Both the alleged attackers were arrested – one by the public from the crime spot and the other following police raids the same night.