A late-night altercation over honking allegedly spiralled into a fatal act of violence in Gujarat's Morbi, where two 17-year-old Class 12 students have been accused of killing a 33-year-old jeweller.
Police said both minors were taken into custody on Friday, and an in-depth investigation is underway.
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According to officials, the incident occurred on Thursday night when the jeweller, Jatin Adesara, was driving back to Morbi from Rajkot, reported The Times of India. He had travelled there with his wife to bring his sister home ahead of a ‘vastu’ ceremony scheduled for the next day. At around 10 pm, while navigating Shanala Road, Adesara found his path blocked by two boys riding a scooter who allegedly refused to make way.
Believing they would eventually move aside, Adesara continued to honk. Instead, the two reportedly stopped abruptly in the middle of the road and began abusing him. Police said the pair then confronted Adesara, dragged him out of his car by his collar, and attacked him. One of the boys allegedly stabbed him repeatedly while the other held him down, before both escaped on their scooter, said the report.
{{/usCountry}}Believing they would eventually move aside, Adesara continued to honk. Instead, the two reportedly stopped abruptly in the middle of the road and began abusing him. Police said the pair then confronted Adesara, dragged him out of his car by his collar, and attacked him. One of the boys allegedly stabbed him repeatedly while the other held him down, before both escaped on their scooter, said the report.
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Bleeding heavily from stab wounds to his chest and back, Adesara managed to call his elder brother, Maulik, as the altercation unfolded. Maulik rushed him to Krishna Hospital, where Adesara reportedly told family members the nicknames the attackers used for each other. Despite medical efforts, he succumbed to his injuries.
Police said Adesara’s wife, sister and another relative remained inside the car during the confrontation, as they did not anticipate the dispute would turn violent.
Adesara co-ran a jewellery business with his brother in Soni Bazaar and lived with his family on Satyampan Street. His death has left the family shattered, including his 11-month-old daughter, the report stated.
R S Patel, inspector at Morbi A division police station, said preliminary findings suggest there was no motive beyond the altercation itself, calling it a clear case of road rage. Morbi superintendent of police Mukesh Patel said both accused are Class 12 students, with one set to turn 18 within a week. He added that the father of one boy is involved in animal husbandry, while the other’s father has a prior criminal record related to prohibition cases.
HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.