Two young men were stabbed to death on a busy road close to the Maurya Enclave police station on Wednesday morning. The police have zeroed down on a juvenile suspect, but the motive behind the murders remained unclear till late evening.
The victims have been identified as Vineet (21) and Haseen (18), both residents of a slum next to the murder spot. Vineet’s father claimed the incident was the outcome of a fight Haseen had with the suspect earlier and his son became a casualty while trying to intervene.
Vineet had returned to the Capital a few hours before the incident. His elder brother Sandeep said both the victims had gone to relieve themselves at a temporary public toilet in G.P. Block of Pitampura while the suspect waited outside.
Eyewitness Kamal said saw Haseen involved in an animated conversation with the suspect outside the toilet around 11.30 a.m. The suspect then entered one of the toilets. He emerged moments later with a sharp-edged object in his hand. When Vineet and Haseen tried to overpower him, the minor first stabbed Haseen and then Vineet.
Before Kamal and the others, including vendors and shopkeepers who run their business in the area, could react, the attacker fled the scene. The police rushed the victims to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan Hospital, where they were declared dead on arrival.
Haseen’s relative Jamil Ansari, who was also an eyewitness to the fight, claimed to be unaware of the reason behind that fight. The families of the victims traded allegations, holding each other responsible. Vineet’s father maintained that he had always warned his son to stay away from Haseen.
Some residents of the slum cluster, however, revealed that Haseen and his alleged murderer wanted to befriend the same girl and had frequent arguments and fights on the issue. Sandeep said he had a clue about Haseen’s involvement with the girl, but had never discussed the same with his younger brother.
Haseen worked as a house painter after quitting school, while Vineet had appeared for his senior secondary school earlier this year.
