Man kills fellow fish vendor over ₹150, held

Sewri police have arrested a 22-year-old man for killing a 28-year-old fish vendor over a petty issue on Saturday.

Sewri police have arrested a 22-year-old man for killing a 28-year-old fish vendor over a petty issue on Saturday.

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During the investigation, police found that a fight took place between the accused Hussain Shaikh alias Chulbul and the victim Riyaz Rafiq Shaikh, as the later had failed to repay ₹150 that he had borrowed from the accused over four years ago.

The accused was jobless and was in dire need of money. After a heated argument over the loan, he hit the victim on the head with a stone, killing him.

According to police, Hussain and Riyaz lived in the same slum near the BPCL refinery at Mazagaon. Both of them used to earn their livelihood by selling fish at Ferry Wharf in Dockyard.

“The accused hit Riyaz with a stone on his head. Riyaz was taken to JJ Hospital, where he was declared dead from serious head injuries,” said Gajanan Kurade, senior inspector, Sewree police station.

After the incident, the accused ran away from the spot. The victim’s brother Shafiq Rafiq Shaikh, 22, informed police that Riyaz and Hussain had fought three days before the incident as well.

“It was found during the investigation that Riyaz and Hussain fought on Friday. Riyaz had assaulted Hussain with a steel scale and had also abused him. Accordingly, a search for Hussain was started and he was found hiding on a boat near Ferry Wharf. Hussain alleged that Riyaz had to give him ₹150 for a fish deal four or five years ago. When Hussain demanded the amount, the deceased refused to pay,” said Kurade.

Hussain was arrested and booked under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code.