₹400 dispute spirals into acid attack, street clash in Malad; seven injured

The incident unfolded around 3:30 pm in Kurar village, where Singh runs a jewellery polishing shop adjacent to Kanojiya’s jewellery-making unit. The simmering dispute escalated when Kanojiya’s family confronted Singh over the remaining amount

MUMBAI: A ₹400 dispute between neighbouring jewellery operators, Mayur Kanojiya, 20, and Samar Bahaddur Singh, 38, erupted into an acid attack and a street clash in Malad East on Wednesday afternoon, leaving seven people with burn injuries.

₹400 dispute spirals into acid attack, street clash in Malad; seven injured

According to police officers, the flashpoint was a recent transaction in which Kanojiya had mistakenly paid ₹27,000 instead of ₹26,000 to Singh. While seeking the excess ₹1,000 back, Singh allegedly returned only ₹600, deducting ₹400 as labour charges, an act that triggered tensions between the two.

The incident unfolded around 3:30 pm in Kurar village, where Singh runs a jewellery polishing shop adjacent to Kanojiya’s jewellery-making unit. The simmering dispute escalated when Kanojiya’s family confronted Singh over the remaining amount.

Soon after, Kanojiya arrived at Singh’s shop accompanied by seven to eight friends and relatives, all local residents aged between 20 and 40. What began as an argument quickly turned into a physical altercation.

In the midst of the scuffle, Singh allegedly flung a solution called jeweller’s pickle (also called pickling solution), a diluted acid used in jewellery making and repair, towards the group, injuring seven people.

Five of the injured are currently undergoing treatment at Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, though officials clarified that none suffered serious harm. “The substance was diluted and typically used in jewellery polishing. Most victims sustained minor splashes and are out of danger,” a police officer said, adding that those hospitalised are likely to be discharged soon.

Following the incident, the Kurar police registered cross complaints and FIRs. One case has been filed against Singh for allegedly throwing the acid, while a counter case of rioting has been registered against eight individuals based on his complaint.

Singh, along with two others, Hemant Rathor, 20, and Nitin Dhobi, 24, have been arrested. Rathor and Dhobi were among those who had initially sustained injuries and were later discharged from hospital.

Police said investigations are ongoing to ascertain the sequence of events and the roles of those involved. “We have registered cross complaints and are probing the matter,” an officer from Kurar police station said.