Driver stabbed to death by four minors

NEWDELHI: In the heart of Lutyens Delhi, a stone’s throw from India Gate, four minors, all male, stabbed to death a 26-year old autorickshaw driver because of a dispute over the fare.

The incident happened late on Sunday night at Kasturba Gandhi Marg – the offices of this newspaper are located there – near Connaught Place. According to policemen, the auto driver demanded ~20 each from the boys as “night charge” in addition to the fare. An argument ensued during which he was stabbed.

Despite suffering a deep stab wound in his chest and bleeding profusely, the auto driver drove his vehicle for almost half a kilometre on KG Marg, in a bid to admit himself to the nearest hospital. He collapsed near KG Marg-Connaught Place outer circle intersection, soon after he met a policeman on bike patrol to whom he narrated his ordeal.

The auto driver was rushed to the nearby Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) hospital where he succumbed to the stab injury during treatment. He has been identified as Jahangir Alam, a native of Malda district in West Bengal. Alam was living in a rented room at Delhi’s Zakir Nagar in Jamia Nagar.

While one of the suspects was caught near the scene of the crime and thrashed by the public before being handed over to the police, the other three were caught by the police later following raids at their possible hideouts in south Delhi’s Dakshinpuri, said Madhur Verma, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi).

“All the accused have been apprehended. They are all juveniles and between the age of 16 and 17 years. The button activated knife that was used to kill the auto driver has been recovered. A case of murder was registered against them as well as one under the arms act,” said Verma, adding that the police would request the court concerned to treat the accused as adults.