Delhi golgappa seller stabbed 18 times for refusing to drunk men

Three men have been arrested and two juveniles apprehended for allegedly murdering a ‘golgappa’ seller in outer Delhi late Sunday. Raju, 24, was stabbed 18 times after he refused to serve ‘golgappe’ to the five accused, police said.

According to the police, the five have confessed to their involvement in the murder. During the interrogation, the five reportedly told the police that they were drunk and got enraged when Raju refused to serve them golgappe. They have been identified as Gogi, 22, Anil, 28, and Nikhil, 24, — from Mangolpuri.

Raju lived with his family in Mangolpuri’s I-Block and sold the street snack at a roadside cart with his father, Radhey Shyam. Around 11.30 pm on Sunday, he had closed his shop and was returning home.

His father was walking about 200 metres ahead and had almost reached home. Police said when Raju reached I-Block, five men consuming alcohol stopped him and asked him to serve golgappe. Raju told them he did not have the ingredients to make them.

“The men insisted on having golgappe. When Raju refused, they began assaulting him. One of them took out a knife and stabbed him multiple times till he collapsed on the road,” said an investigating officer.

Hearing Raju’s screams, his family and neighbours rushed to him but the attackers had fled by then. But they managed to see at least two of the five attackers. A neighbour then informed the police. Raju was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. The doctors said Raju suffered 18 stab injuries that punctured his vital organs, police said.

A case of murder was registered at the Mangolpuri police station and three teams were formed to nab the attackers, who were suspected to be from the same locality. According to MN Tiwari, deputy commissioner of police (outer district), they zeroed in on Gogi, who had been missing after the crime. His cellphone records showed that he kept changing his location as he knew that raids were being carried out at his possible hideouts.