Minor boys kill 22-year-old for refusing them matchstick to light cigarettes

Two minor boys allegedly stabbed a 22-year-old man to death in Mumbai over a dispute about matchsticks to light cigarettes. The boys have been arrested.

MUMBAI: A dispute over matchsticks to light cigarettes resulted in two minor boys allegedly stabbing a 22-year-old man to death in Mankhurd on Monday.

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The police have identified the victim as Ramzan Abdul Hamid Shaikh, a resident of Mankhurd, and registered a first information report based on his mother’s complaint. The police have arrested the two minor boys for allegedly stabbing him to death after he refused to give them a matchbox to light cigarettes.

Shaikh, according to the police, lives in Mankhurd while his parents live in Mumbra. The incident came to light around 6:30am on Monday after local people noticed Shaikh lying on the ground with blood stains on his body. They informed the police control room and Mankhurd police officials reached the spot and rushed Shaikh to the Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar where he was declared brought dead.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased was attacked with a sharp weapon, like a knife. The Mankhurd police registered a case of murder against unidentified persons and formed teams to identify the deceased and ascertain the accused persons. After interrogating a few people from the vicinity, we picked up two minor boys, who had fought with Shaikh before the incident, said a police officer.

The accused had asked for a matchbox from Shaikh who refused to give it to them and instead abused the accused, and therefore in a fit of rage both the accused stabbed him multiple times that resulted in his death on the spot, said the police officer attached to the Mankhurd police station.

Further investigation is going on, said a police official.