Mumbai:
A student of a college in Malad paid with his life for arguing over the rates of cucumbers with two vegetable vendors on Saturday.
The police said the incident happened when Surendra Son-kamble, 20, had gone to a nearby market with his friend Salim Sayed, 20, to buy vegetables.
Initial investigation done by the police revealed that the incident happened on the spur of the moment. "So far we have not found any previous personal enmity between both the groups," said sub inspector Madhukar Yadav of Kurar police station.
Officials said that Sonkamble allegedly took a bite of a cucumber to check its freshness. This angered Datta Hazare, 34, the vendor, leading to a war of words between them. The police said that the quarrel spiralled into a physical fight. Hazare's brother, who works along with him, too joined in the fight.
Witnesses told the police that Hazare, in a fit of rage, reportedly slapped the victim beneath his ears, because of which he collapsed on the spot. Locals, who tried to intervene, informed the police and rushed Sonkamble to Bhagwati hospital where he was declared dead before admission.
Sayed, who was a witness to the incident, has been made a complainant in the case. He and Sonkamble have been friends for many years and both study in the same college in Malad, local sources said.
Officials said a hunt has been launched to search the accused as they have been missing from their home since the incident. Their family members, friends and other vegetable vendors are being questioned to for their whereabouts, officials added. The police are now in the process of taking statements of the witnesses.
Copyright restricted. Under license from
www.3dsyndication.com