A 21-year-old salon worker was allegedly stabbed to death by four men in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad district on Wednesday night, with police suspecting that the killing may be linked to an old personal rivalry.
The deceased, identified as Tasleem alias Cheeni, lived with his family in Aashiyana City in Loni and worked at a local salon. According to police, he had previously been arrested in a 2025 murder case and was released on bail around four months ago.
Officials said the incident took place on Wednesday evening when one of the accused allegedly called Tasleem out of his house on the pretext of having a conversation.
Family Alleges Planned Attack Near Mazar
According to a complaint filed by Tasleem’s father, Asgar, one of the accused, Faisal, took Tasleem to a mazaar near Malik City, where three others — identified as Sheruddin, Aamir, and Ayaan — were already present.
The complainant alleged that the four men attacked Tasleem with sharp weapons.
“Despite being stabbed several times, Tasleem somehow managed to escape and reached a nearby shop. He called his cousins Tayyab and Taseem for help,” the complaint stated.
However, before help could arrive, the attackers allegedly caught up with him and stabbed him repeatedly again.
Tasleem’s father claimed that his cousins later saw the accused fleeing the area with sharp weapons in their hands.
The injured man was rushed to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
Police Link Murder to Old Enmity
Police said preliminary investigation points to a possible revenge angle.
A police officer involved in the investigation said, “Tasleem had been accused in a murder case in 2025 involving the brother of one of the suspects. He spent several months in jail before getting bail. Old enmity appears to be one of the key motives being examined.”
According to police, one of the accused, Yunis, is the brother of a man allegedly killed by Tasleem in the earlier case.
Loni Station House Officer Yogendra Kumar Singh said no other motive has emerged so far, but investigators are examining all angles.
“It is suspected that the murder happened due to old rivalry. However, investigation is still underway,” he said.
FIR Registered, Accused Absconding
Police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against four accused — Faisal, Sheruddin, Aamir and Ayaan — under Section 103 (murder) and Section 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari said multiple teams have been formed to arrest the accused.
“Four police teams are working on the case. CCTV footage from nearby areas is also being checked to trace the accused and arrest them at the earliest,” Tiwari said.
The accused are currently absconding, police added.
