Delhi: 2 men stab tea shop worker after he refused to give them cigarette

Two men allegedly stabbed a 24-year-old tea shop worker in southeast Delhi's Kalindi Kunj area after he refused to give them a cigarette, police said on Saturday.

The victim, identified as Ezaz, was taken to a hospital and his condition is stated to be stable, they said.

Both the accused -- Mohammad Sakib Khan (19) and Abdul Hannan (30), who stabbed the victim with a blade-cutter, have been arrested, police said.

On Friday, when police were at a check post during a routine checking of vehicles, they heard a quarrel and rushed to the spot, where they found Ezaz lying with stab injuries.

They apprehended one of the accused and shifted the injured to AIIMS Trauma Centre, said a senior police officer, adding that later, they also nabbed the other accused.

Ezaz told the police that he works with his brother-in-law Aamir at a tea shop. On Friday, Hannan came to their shop and took a cigarette.

After some time, he along with his friend again came to the shop and asked for another cigarette but by then the victim had closed the shop, said RP Meena, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast).

When Ezaz refused to give cigarette to the accused, they started beating him and Aamir, he said.

Khan took out a blade-cutter and stabbed Ezaz in his abdomen. He also inflicted injuries on the victim's forearm, he added.

A case was registered at Shaheen Bagh police station and both the accused were arrested, the DCP said.

"During interrogation, the accused disclosed that on Friday, they asked for a cigarette and when Ezaz refused, they lost their temper and thrashed him and his brother-in-law while Khan stabbed Ezaz," he said.