Man stabbed to death by mob following altercation, police arrest four

A 23-year-old man, working at a restaurant in Connaught Place, was killed after being attacked with a knife, beer bottles and sticks by around six men following a quarrel between them in outer Delhi’s Narela on Monday evening, the police said

A 23-year-old man, working at a restaurant in Connaught Place, was killed after being attacked with a knife, beer bottles and sticks by around six men following a quarrel between them in outer Delhi’s Narela on Monday evening, the police said.

HT Image

Although rumours were rife on Tuesday that the murder had communal tones to it, police categorically quashed these speculations and said most of the suspects also belonged to the same religion as the victim. As a precautionary step, the police also deployed additional force in the neighbourhood to maintain peace and order.

Rajeev Ranjan, deputy commissioner of police (outer north), said so far four of at least five known suspects have been arrested. “We have arrested Qayamuddin, Salauddin, Kundan and Kaushal. We are on the lookout for one more known suspect and other possible unknown attackers,” said Ranjan.

The victim was identified as Bunty Verma, a resident of Narela Industrial Area. He worked in the housekeeping department of a restaurant in Connaught Place.

The police said after celebrating Holi on Monday, he visited a water purifier kiosk in his neighbourhood to collect drinking water. “Around 4.30pm, while he was returning with the water, he noticed some drunk men in the local park. He asked them not to consume alcohol in public and they began beating him over that,” Verma’s brother Rahul said.

The DCP said it later emerged that Verma, too, was drunk at that time.

Some locals intervened in the fight and broke it up. Verma returned home, but around 6pm, he again ventured into the street.

This time, the rival group allegedly attacked him with a knife, broken bottles and sticks until his brother rescued him. “Even when I tried to rush him to a hospital in an auto-rickshaw, the men kept attacking us,” Rahul said.

Verma eventually succumbed to multiple stab wounds, Rahul said.

On Tuesday, Verma’s family took to the street to accuse the police of not acting against the suspects. Police have assured the victim’s family that no effort will be spared in acting against the killers and quashed all rumours of a communal fight. The arrested men either worked at a power plant or did odd jobs. None of them has a criminal past.