A 35-year-old driver who was allegedly stabbed multiple times for asking for extra chole in Delhi's Nihal Vihar area died during treatment, police confirmed on Wednesday. This comes after the victim identified as Sandeep was allegedly attacked on Sunday near Jwalapuri Nala in outer Delhi.
His father, Bijender Singh, said the dispute began when Sandeep asked the vendor for some extra chole at a Sunday market they were visiting. Sandeep succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday.
Bijender Singh alleged that a minor argument over food turned violent after his son asked the vendor for extra chole.
According to Singh, the vendor abused his son during the argument, and the situation escalated before Sandeep was stabbed repeatedly. "My son's only fault was that he asked the shopkeeper for some extra chole. He was stabbed several times and died after battling for his life for two days," Singh alleged.
"I got to know about the incident and immediately reached the spot. Some eyewitnesses also helped me pick him up," Singh told PTI.
Sandeep lived in Raj Vihar in Nihal Vihar and worked as a private car driver. He is survived by his wife and two sons, aged four and 10. His father alleged that three to four people were involved in the attack but claimed that police have arrested only the food vendor so far.
The accused identified as Chintu Gupta, works as a chole-bhature seller, has been arrested and sent to judicial custody and is charged with murder in the case following the victim's death.
After he was stabbed, Sandeep was first taken to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital on October 25. He was later shifted to Maharaja Agrasen Hospital in Punjabi Bagh for further treatment, where he died on Tuesday.
His medico-legal case (MLC) report recorded three stab wounds on the left side of his abdomen, three lacerated wounds on his left forearm and another lacerated wound on his wrist.
A senior police officer said the injured man was initially unfit to give a statement. Police then began investigating the circumstances of the incident.
A senior police officer said, "The injured man was declared unfit to give a statement, following which police initiated an inquiry into the circumstances of the incident. During the preliminary inquiry, it came to light that an argument had taken place between the injured and the 'chole-bhature' seller near Jwalapuri Nala."
The police registered an FIR at Paschim Vihar West police station on October 25 under Section 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with attempted murder.
Police arrested Gupta during the investigation and sent him to judicial custody. After Sandeep died, Section 103(1) of the BNS, which deals with murder, was added to the case.
Further investigation is ongoing in the matter.