Man with cancer shoots dead colleague who introduced him to smoking in Delhi

The victim, 25-year-old Inayat, had been working as a cook at a restaurant in Uttam Nagar for the last 18 months. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A 25-year-old man shot dead his colleague from Myanmar on Thursday for allegedly introducing him to smoking that led him to getting throat cancer later.

The accused, identified as Mustakeem Ahmad, a cook at a west Delhi restaurant, was arrested on Friday.

Ahmad has told his interrogators that he was allegedly so consumed with hate towards the victim that he purchased a pistol and practised firing to ensure that he did not miss his target.

The victim, 25-year-old Inayat, had been working as a cook at a restaurant in Uttam Nagar for the last 18 months. Ahmad too had been offered a chef’s job at the restaurant that was owned by Ahmad’s brother-in-law.

“Though Ahmad and Inayat were friends at the workplace, Inayat was reportedly better at his job and well-behaved and soon became the favourite of the restaurant owner,” said Shibesh Singh, DCP (southwest). This frustrated Ahmad and he developed an enmity against Inayat.

In the meantime, Ahmad began smoking cigarettes and took to marijuana, allegedly under the influence of Inayat. “In the course of time, Ahmad developed throat infection, forcing him to consult a doctor. Ahmad has claimed that the doctor told him he had developed throat cancer due to excessive smoking,” said the DCP.

Ahmad later blamed Inayat for getting him addicted to smoking that later led to his cancer. Amid all this, Ahmad’s work quality deteriorated and he was removed from his job.

A frustrated Ahmad then went back to his native village in Amroha in Uttar Pradesh and procured a countrymade pistol and some cartridges. “He first practised firing in his village, before returning to Delhi a few days ago,” said the DCP.

Ahmad first visited the restaurant on Thursday morning and asked his brother-in-law to sack Inayat. But his brother-in-law refused to do so.

“He was carrying his loaded pistol to the restaurantad had planned to kill Inayat if he failed to get him fired from the job. That is what eventually happened. Ahmad ended up picking a fight with Inayat. He later shot at him in the middle of the argument,” said an investigator.

Inayat was later rushed to a hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries. Ahmad fled the murder spot, said police.

A police team soon launched a technical surveillance on Ahmad. Later, an informer told police on Friday that Ahmad was set to visit a relative in Uttam Nagar to take some money before fleeing the city. A police team laid a trap and nabbed him after a chase.