New Year celebrations bring gory end to two revellers

They are stabbed to death over petty issues just after midnight

New Year brought a gory end to two youth, both aged 22, as they were murdered in separate incidents shortly after the clock struck the midnight hour.

Faisal, a motorcycle mechanic from Mangammanapalya, Bommanahalli, was returning home with five of his friends in an autorickshaw after seeing the New Year revelry on MG Road when another group of revellers stabbed him in the stomach and neck. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but died shortly thereafter, police said.

It all started when Faisal’s friend, who was driving the autorickshaw, overtook another three-wheeler from the left side near Adugodi and reportedly abused the four people travelling by that vehicle. That group was also returning from MG Road after New Year celebrations.

In retaliation, that driver rear-ended Faisal’s autorickshaw at the Forum Mall traffic signal. The collision was so huge that Faisal’s autorickshaw turned upside down.

A brawl then broke out even as members of the other group called up their friends. In no time, they were joined by three more youths. A full-fledged fight then broke out between the two groups. In the melee, a member of the opposite group took out a knife and stabbed Faisal in the stomach and neck. That group then drove away in the same autorickshaw. Faisal died shortly thereafter.

Koramangala police have booked a case of murder. A senior police officer said that the assailants had not been identified yet as none of them appeared to have known the victim or his friends.

Still, police were trying to make their sketches with the help of Faisal’s friends. Besides, the footage of the CCTV cameras installed at the Forum Mall traffic signal and along the way from MG Road was being examined. This way, police hope to at least trace the registration number of the other autorickshaw.

In the other murder, Umesh Kunna, a BCom graduate unemployed youth from Muneshwara Block in Peenya, was brutally stabbed to death just outside his house over a petty dispute during the New Year party.

Police said Kunna was part of a small street gang of unemployed youth who indulged in petty crimes. They had rivalry with another gang whose members are suspected to have murdered Kunna. The rivalry was developed over playing cricket and misbehaving with girls.

Although no member of either gang was a rowdy sheeter, most of them were wanted in petty crimes. Even Kunna was an accused in attempt to murder and assault cases booked at Peenya police station.

On New Year’s eve, Kunna and his friends arranged a small party in their locality and invited the members of the rival gang led by a man named Jeevan alias Appi.

The party went on well until Kunna and Jeevan picked a fight over some old rivalry. Kunna then took out a knife and tried to assault Jeevan. But Jeevan and his sidekicks suddenly snatched the knife from Umesh and stabbed him many times in the stomach and neck, killing him instantly. The gang then fled.

Peenya police have booked a case of murder against Jeevan and others. A senior officer said that the suspects had been identified and police had certain information on their whereabouts. They would be arrested soon, the officer added.