NEW DELHI: In another minute,

would have been home. It was past midnight and the street was clear. As he shot towards an empty space to park, his mini-truck brushed past the black labrador of some neighbours who were chatting across the street. The ruffled dog barked after him, and a few minutes later the 40-year-old father of two lay in a pool of blood. Stabbed six times with kitchen knives and a screwdriver because he refused to say sorry to Tommy, the dog.

Vijender Rana

Delhi's short fuse once again led to tragedy as a family of 10 lost one earning member while the other is battling for life at

.

Vijender's elder brother Rajesh Rana (45), who ran to him after hearing his cries for help, was stabbed thrice.

The brutal stabbings happened in the Mohan Garden area of

in southwest Delhi, on Saturday. Police said two brothers, Ankit and Paras, are the main suspects, and their tenant Dev Chopra is involved as well.

Ankit, Paras and Dev had gone out for a stroll with Tommy, around midnight. When Vijender drove in about 10 minutes later, Tommy was sitting on one side of the street while the three men were talking beside a scooter on the other. When Tommy started barking at Vijender's truck, the trio forced him to stop and abused him, eyewitnesses told police.

They grabbed him by the hair and demanded he apologise to Tommy. Outraged, Vijender told them to mind their dog instead.

As he freed himself and hurried home, hardly 50 metres away, Ankit and Paras dragged him back to where the fight had started.

Vijender's sister Sushma told TOI that, hearing his cries, Rajesh ran out to help.