Two men with criminal histories killed in scuffle between their groups

Two men, both with criminal antecedents, were killed in a face-off between their respective groups after an argument got out of hand in west Delhi’s Khyala early

Two men, both with criminal antecedents, were killed in a face-off between their respective groups after an argument got out of hand in west Delhi’s Khyala early Monday.

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Police identified the deceased men as Rohit (single name) and Ashish Pandey and said they had been engaged in fights with each other previously as well. Police said around 12.30am Monday, an argument ensued between them and Rohit attacked Ashish with a knife. Seeing this, one of Ashish’s friends, Sahil Singh, attacked Rohit with a knife, killing him. Sahil was later arrested and booked for murder.

Police said 27-year-old Rohit was a known criminal in the area with cases of robbery, extortion and attempt to murder against him, Ashish Pandey, 24, also had a criminal past. Both lived in Raghubir Nagar, Khyala.

According to police, two calls were received by the police control room -- at 12.56am and 12.57am -- reporting a quarrel between two groups at a slum colony in Raghubir Nagar. One of the callers was a woman, Meena, who reported that her son Rohit had been stabbed to death by two or three men.

Deputy commissioner of police (west) Deepak Purohit said a police team reached the spot and found Rohit lying critically injured. He was rushed to Guru Gobind Singh hospital where the doctors pronounced him dead. Inquiries revealed that an injured Ashish, who had also been admitted to the same hospital, had died during treatment, Purohit said.

He said preliminary inquiries have revealed that on Sunday evening, Rohit had an argument with a man who had thrashed him, the DCP said.

“Furious and drunk, Rohit was on the lookout for that man when around 12.30am he crossed paths with three men on a two-wheeler -- Ashish and his friends Sahil Singh, 22, and Dinesh, 21,” Purohit said.

Quoting witnesses,Purohit said Ashish stopped Rohit and tried talking to him.But Rohit, who was already agitated, didn’t want to talk and told them off.

“The three men left the spot but soon returned looking for him. As they spotted Rohit with a knife in his hand, they asked him why he needed one. This led to an argument that soon got out of hand. Rohit stabbed Ashish multiple times. When Sahil tried to intervene, Rohit stabbed him in the leg. Sahil, who was also carrying a knife, then stabbed Rohit and fled the spot,” the officer said.

Purohit said he formed teams to search for Sahil and he was arrested before he could flee the neighbourhood. “He was booked for Rohit’s murder,” the DCP said.

As the incident took place near Rohit’s house, hearing the commotion, Rohit’s mother Meena rushed out to see her son being attacked. She had then called police for help.