Man stabbed to death over dispute, five booked

A murder case has been filed against five men for killing a rival during a clash in Thane. One suspect is arrested; another is hospitalized.

THANE: A murder case has been registered against five persons for allegedly killing a man with sharp weapons following a clash between two groups in the early hours of Sunday.

Man stabbed to death over dispute, five booked

Police said the accused and the deceased had a history of rivalry and previous disputes.

One accused has been arrested, while the main accused is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital after sustaining serious injuries during the scuffle.

According to the police, the incident took place around 2.40am near a tea stall in Shastri Nagar, Thane, where Vishnu and others from his group were having tea.

At the time, Prakash Tikhe alias Pakya, Vicky Tikhe and five others allegedly arrived at the spot on motorcycles.

Police said Pakya allegedly confronted Vishnu, claiming dominance over the area, calling himself the “don” and threatening him. He then allegedly pulled out a knife and attempted to attack Vishnu. As Vishnu tried to flee, he fell to the ground, following which Pakya allegedly stabbed him multiple times in the chest. Police said Vicky Tikhe also joined in the assault.

The attack triggered a violent clash between the two groups, during which Pakya sustained severe injuries and was later admitted to a local hospital.

Police said some members of the accused group were allegedly armed with swords and other weapons and threatened the deceased’s associates with dire consequences if they interfered in the area.

Pravin Mane, senior police inspector of Vartak Nagar police station, said the attack was suspected to be a fallout of a minor altercation between the two groups a few days ago. “Both the accused and the deceased have criminal records. We have registered a case against five accused persons,” said Mane.