A man hacked his friend to death in a fit of rage in Nayapul, a busy area close to the historic Charminar, in the old city of Hyderabad on Wednesday night.
A video of Abdul Khaja, an autorickshaw driver from Chanchalguda area, attacking Shakeer Qureshi with a butcher’s knife repeatedly on his head, shoulders and neck, went viral on social media late in the night. Qureshi was an auto rickshaw driver.
The video was apparently shot by a few onlookers, who did not intervene to stop 29-year-old Khaja from assaulting Qureshi.
As 30-year-old Qureshi fell on the ground, Khaja sat beside him, held him tightly and butchered him with the knife repeatedly. After committing the crime, he stood up and shouted that Qureshi had threatened him with a knife and hurled abuses at him.
Hyderabad Police said in a late-night statement that the murder took place in the Mirchowk police station limits. “Because of the immediate response by a constable, the accused was arrested within 10 minutes from the spot,” the release said.
The video, however, shows a couple of police constables present at the scene could not stop the attack. A traffic policeman, however, attempted to stop Khaja by hitting him on his back but could not stop him.
{{/usCountry}}The video, however, shows a couple of police constables present at the scene could not stop the attack. A traffic policeman, however, attempted to stop Khaja by hitting him on his back but could not stop him.
{{/usCountry}}Assistant commissioner of police (Mirchowk) B Anand said Khaja was drunk and that previous enmity was the motive behind the killing.
Police said Khaja had given his auto rickshaw to Qureshi on rent and he, in turn, gave it to another friend Akeel. When an angry Khaja questioned Qureshi’s decision he allegedly abused him, his mother and sister.
“That led to the fight between the two and Khaja, in a fit of rage, killed Qureshi,” police said.
This is second such murder in the city after a man was hacked to death by his rivals in front of hundreds of people and policemen on September 26 at Attapur on Mehdipatnam-airport road. The man was killed because of a murder he allegedly committed in the past.