Four killed across Delhi in 24 hours during Holi
It was a bloody Monday in Delhi. Within 24 hours, four murders were reported from parts of north, northwest and outer districts during Holi celebrations.
One of the murders took place following an argument between two neighbours over playing loud music while celebrating Holi in outer Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy.
The 40-year-old died after four men in his neighbourhood allegedly attacked him with batons on Monday night. The deceased was identified as Girdhari Mandal, who worked as an auto-rickshaw driver and lived with his family in F-block.
Police said Mandal had an argument with his neighbour Babloo Mandal, who is also his relative, as the DJ was playing loud music. Babloo along with Shiv and other two friends attacked Mandal with batons due to which he suffered serious injuries and died during treatment at a nearby hospital early Tuesday morning.
A police officer said that Mandal and other neighbours had organised a music program in the lane outside his house to celebrate Holi. “The celebration was going on in the lane. Babloo and his neighbour Shiv were feeling irritated because of the music. When they asked Mandal to stop the music, an argument broke out,” said the officer.
Minutes later, Babloo and Shiv along with their two friends arrived and attacked Mandal. He suffered serious injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital where he died during treatment, said police.
“A case of murder was registered and two of the accused have been arrested. We are looking for the other two,” the officer said.
In the second incident, a 22-year-old man was stabbed to death, allegedly by a group of four teenagers, following an argument over throwing mudlike substance on him in outer Delhi’s Aman Vihar on Monday afternoon.
Police said all the four juveniles were apprehended and were booked for the murder. They were all neighbours of the deceased identified as Dheerendra Sharma.
A police officer said that the crime came to light around 3pm when they received a call regarding a murder in the area. The police reached the crime scene and learnt that Sharma had gone to celebrate Holi with his friends. While he was returning home, the four teenagers allegedly smeared the substance on his face. When Sharma protested, an argument broke out between them. One of the boys took out a knife and stabbed Sharma five times in his chest and abdomen and fled. The teenagers were allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
“Sharma was taken to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead on admission,” the officer added.
The third incident took place in northwest Delhi’s Bharat Nagar where a 24-year-old man was bludgeoned to death after he had an argument with a group of men around 5pm on Monday. The deceased, Jeetu, was released from jail six months ago. He was jailed after he murdered his friend in Alipur, said police. Two persons were taken into custody for questioning.
The fourth murder was reported from north Delhi’s Kashmere Gate, where the body of a 35-year-old man with throat slit was found near Hanuman Temple flyover on Monday night. Police were yet to identify the man till Tuesday night. An officer said the victim was a vagabond. They suspect that he was murdered by some other vagabonds after a fight.