Argument over parking leads to man’s death

Tempo driver assaulted with baseball bat by father-son duo in east Delhi’s Geeta Colony, police wait for post-mortem report.

A 45-year-old man was beaten to death by a father-son duo over parking space at east Delhi's Geeta Colony area on Sunday night.

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Radhe Shyam, who drove a three-wheeled tempo, had gone to see his sister — who lives in the next lane to his Rani Garden residence. When he was trying to park his vehicle, Manjeet Singh and Harjeet Singh, who lives on the first floor of the same building, objected to it.

The Singhs claimed that the space where Radhe Shyam was trying to park his tempo was "reserved" for their 'gramin sewa' bus.

"An argument broke out between them after which Radhe Shyam left the place. A few minutes later he returned with his wife Kavita Rani and nephew Ravi and an altercation ensued. Enraged over Radhe Shyam's persistence, the father-son duo of Manjeet and Harjeet attacked Radhe Shyam and his nephew with baseball bats. Shyam received critical injuries and collapsed on the ground. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival," said a senior police officer. Ravi, 27, also suffered injuries.

He added that adding they are waiting for the postmortem report to ascertain the exact cause of death.

Police have registered a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against the Manjeet and Harjeet, who have gone absconding ever since the incident took place at around 10.30 pm.

Police have launched a manhunt to nab the father-son duo.

"We had gone to sort out the matter amicably. But they had other plans. While we tried to resolve the matter, they arrived armed with baseball bats. They hit my uncle on his head, chest and pushed him to the ground. Over such a trivial issue they killed my uncle," Ravi said.

Radhe Shyam's wife, Kavita, rubbished police claims that the Vikram tempo driver could have died of a possible cardiac arrest or as a result of a prolonged illness. She said, "My husband was not suffering from any kind of illness. He died because of the brutal beating."

According to Radhe Shyam's relatives, he was the sole breadwinner of the family of four, including his mother, son, Mohit, and wife.

"He was a well to do businessman some ten years ago and owned an embroidery factory. He had to shut the factory and started driving the three-wheeler Vikram truck after incurring losses in his business. The three-wheeler was purchased some three months ago," said a relative.