Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Oct 30: A dispute over an extra serving of chhole at a roadside food stall in west Delhi's Jwalapuri area allegedly turned fatal after a 35-year-old customer was stabbed multiple times by the vendor. The victim, identified as Sandeep, later died while undergoing treatment at Maharaja Agrasen Hospital in Punjabi Bagh.

The accused, Chintu Gupta, who operated the chhole bhature stall, has been arrested and remanded to judicial custody. Following Sandeep's death, Delhi Police added a murder charge to the case.

According to police, the incident took place on Sunday night near Jwalapuri Nala. Sandeep, a private company driver and resident of Nihal Vihar, had visited the Sunday market with friends and bought chhole bhature. He had also packed food for his two children.

An argument allegedly broke out when Sandeep asked Gupta to add more chhole to the packed food. The disagreement escalated into a physical altercation, during which the vendor allegedly attacked him with a knife.

Police received information from Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital on October 26 that Sandeep had been admitted with injuries. His medico-legal report recorded three stab wounds on the left side of his abdomen, three injuries on his left forearm and another wound on his wrist.

Doctors declared him unfit to give a statement. Based on the injuries and preliminary findings, police registered a case at Paschim Vihar West police station under Section 109(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to attempt to murder.

During the investigation, Gupta was arrested and sent to judicial custody. Sandeep was subsequently shifted to Maharaja Agrasen Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

After his death, police added Section 103(1) of the BNS, which deals with murder. Investigators are also examining the sequence of events and the possible involvement of other persons.

Sandeep's father alleged that several people had attacked his son and questioned why only the food stall owner had been arrested. Police said the victim had been unfit to give a statement and that further investigation was underway.

Another fatal stabbing over parking dispute

The incident comes days after a separate fatal stabbing in northwest Delhi's Pratap Vihar area, where a youth was allegedly killed following an argument over motorcycle parking.

The incident took place late on Sunday night under the jurisdiction of Aman Vihar police station. According to the victim's family, he had stopped his motorcycle in a lane to speak to a friend when four to five youths objected to the vehicle being parked there.

The argument reportedly escalated into a physical altercation. During the confrontation, the victim allegedly intervened when some of the youths took his friend away. As the two attempted to escape, one of the attackers allegedly stabbed him in the chest.

The victim was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Police registered a murder case, collected evidence and began examining CCTV footage as part of the investigation.