Man refuses to share matchbox, stabbed to death by two teens in Delhi

The deceased man, identified as Anshul Bhati, was sitting in a parked autorickshaw with three of his friends when he was stabbed and died of excessive bleeding

A 21-year-old man was stabbed to death allegedly by a boy aged between 15 and 17 after he refused to give him a matchbox in north Delhi’s Timarpur Gol Market in the early hours of Saturday, police officers said on Sunday, adding that two juveniles, including the suspect, have been apprehended.

The officers scanned footage from CCTV cameras in the neighbourhood and identified the suspects. The two were apprehended in Timarpur between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. (Representational image)

The deceased man, identified as Anshul Bhati, was sitting in a parked autorickshaw with three of his friends when he was stabbed in his thigh and died of excessive bleeding, investigators said.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Manoj Kumar Meena said that Bhati’s friends informed the Timarpur police station about the incident, and rushed him to the Hindu Rao Hospital, where he was declared brought dead. A police team arrived on the scene and found blood in the autorickshaw.

According to the police, when Bhati was sitting in the autorickshaw, two minor boys arrived. One of them asked Bhati to give him a matchbox to light a cigarette. Bhati refused and asked the boys to leave, after which an altercation broke out among them, said investigators.

“One of the minors took out a knife and stabbed Bhati in his thigh before fleeing. Bhati died of excessive bleeding. A case of murder, threatening and common intention was registered and an investigation was taken up,” said DCP Meena.

The officers scanned footage from CCTV cameras in the neighbourhood and identified the suspects. The two were apprehended in Timarpur between Saturday evening and Sunday morning. They turned out to be juveniles in conflict with the law previously involved in crimes. One of them was involved in a heinous crime reported at the Timarpur police station, officers said.