Diwali in Mumbai: 22-year-old killed in Sion after fight over bursting crackers

According to the Antop Hill police, the victim, 22-year-old Vivek Gupta, was an electrician by profession and resided in Jai Maharashtra Nagar, Antop Hill

MUMBAI: A 22-year-old man was killed on Friday following a dispute between him and some others in Sion over the bursting of fire crackers. The deceased had intervened in a dispute involving the assailants earlier and police are probing if he was assaulted in the early hours on Friday owing to the old rivalry.

Vivek Gupta and his friends were bursting crackers at around 12.50am on Friday when Kartik R Mohan Devendra, a resident of the same area, warned them not to do so as it was blocking the road. (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

According to the Antop Hill police, the victim, 22-year-old Vivek Gupta, was an electrician by profession and resided in Jai Maharashtra Nagar, Kokri Agar, Antop Hill. He and his friends were bursting crackers at around 12.50am on Friday when Kartik R Mohan Devendra, a resident of the same area, warned them not to do so as it was blocking the road.

“When Kartik returned after some time, he saw that Gupta and his friends were still bursting firecrackers. An argument broke out between them which soon escalated into a fist fight,” said a police officer.

Kartik left the spot in the middle of the fight and returned with four other accomplices including Vickey Devendra, Miniappan Devendra, Kartik Mogan, and his wife. “The accused were bats and knives. They had an argument with Gupta after which they stabbed him several times and fled from the spot,” the police officer noted.

Gupta sustained injuries on his chest, stomach, back and hands. He was rushed to Sion hospital by the police and was declared dead while he was undergoing treatment.

Later, Kartik, his wife and three other male accomplices were arrested under sections 103 (murder), 189 (unlawful assembly), 191 (rioting), 118 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and relevant sections of the Indian Arms Act, said police.

The deceased’s father Kanhaiya Gupta said his son had earlier gone to solve a dispute between Kartik and his friend, and he was likely attacked because of this.

“Kartik and others had come home to search for my son after the incident. But when they found that he had no role in the matter, they left. However, they came back again with another reason and attacked him,” he said.