Man killed over cigarette

A 26-year-old rag picker was mercilessly slashed to death for refusing to share his bidi and subsequently mocking a restaurant attendant in south Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

A 26-year-old rag picker was mercilessly slashed to death for refusing to share his bidi and subsequently mocking a restaurant attendant in south Delhi, police said on Wednesday.

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Dharam Pal, a native of Uttar Pradesh, was allegedly murdered by one Pitamber Bishwa Karma, originally from Nepal, after a slight verbal duel near a restaurant in Safdurjung Enclave on Tuesday, said Chhaya Sharma, DCP (south).

“Yesterday morning, Karma saw the victim, Dharam Pal, near his shop and asked him to give him a bidi, but the latter refused to share. Almost immediately, Dharam Pal lit it and started puffing at it, even as he swore at him,” DCP Sharma said.

The slight insult, police said, was enough to trigger Karma’s rage and he picked up a sharp-edged knife and attacked Dharam Pal. According to police, minutes after Pal was found murdered, police concluded that Karma had murdered him.

Karma was traced and arrested from near the DDA Jungle adjacent the RK Khanna Tennis Stadium.