A 26-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death following a dispute over a cigarette in northwest Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area on Eid night, police said. The incident turned festive celebrations into mourning for the victim’s family.
The deceased, identified as Arbaaz, was a resident of C-Block in Jahangirpuri and worked at a local jewellery shop. Family members said he was the sole earning member of the household.
According to police, the incident took place around 11 pm on Thursday when Arbaaz was near his residence while his family was celebrating Eid.
Minor Dispute Escalated Into Fatal Attack
Police said a minor argument reportedly broke out between Arbaaz and a group of local youths over a cigarette. The verbal altercation soon turned violent.
“A minor altercation reportedly broke out between him and a group allegedly over a trivial issue related to a cigarette. The argument soon escalated, following which the accused allegedly attacked Arbaaz with knives, inflicting multiple injuries,” a police officer said.
Arbaaz was rushed to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital in critical condition but later died during treatment.
Family Alleges Attack Was Planned
The victim’s family alleged that the accused had been planning the attack for several days.
“They had been planning to kill my brother for the past week. The dispute had started over a cigarette. When they found him alone in the lane, they pushed him and, when he resisted, they stabbed him with a knife,” said Mohammad Rizwan, Arbaaz’s brother.
He further alleged that six minors and one adult were involved in the attack and claimed the adult accused had also been linked to another murder case.
Taufiq, another brother of the deceased, said Arbaaz had called him shortly before the attack.
“My brother called me saying that some boys had surrounded him and asked me to come quickly. By the time I reached, they had already cornered him and started assaulting him. I tried to pull the main accused away, but another boy stabbed my brother two to three times,” he said.
Three Juveniles Apprehended, Knife Recovered
Police said they registered a murder case and launched an investigation based on eyewitness accounts, local intelligence and technical inputs.
“All three CCLs (Children in Conflict with Law) involved in the incident have been apprehended,” Delhi Police said.
During the investigation, police also recovered the knife allegedly used in the crime at the instance of one of the apprehended juveniles.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further investigation is underway.
Heavy Police Deployment in Area
Following the incident, heavy police deployment was made in Jahangirpuri to prevent any communal or local tension and maintain law and order.
Arbaaz’s mother, grieving the loss of her son, said, “He told me he would return in 10 minutes, but he was stabbed to death just a few metres from our home. How do I bring my child back now? Our Eid has been ruined.”
