Man killed for refusing to give cigarettes in Maharashtra [Representative image] | Photo Credit: ANI

Key Highlights The now-deceased man was smoking near a toilet in the APMC market when two men approached him for a cigarette The victim was stabbed multiple times in the stomach and chest with a screwdriver by the accused man Police suspect that cigarette shortage due to closure of shops following the orders of the nationwide lockdown might have triggered the crime

Mumbai: A shocking case has come to light from Maharashtra's Kalyan where a 38-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death by two men for supposedly refusing to give them a cigarette on Wednesday near the APMC market. The police have launched a manhunt to nab the two accused.

Shortage of cigarettes triggered crime?

The victim, identified as Arvind Shankar Kumar, originally belonged to Uttar Pradesh. He used to sell vegetable at the APMC market in Kalyan. The police have a suspicion that the shortage of cigarettes because of the closure of paan shops and outlets selling tobacco products after the promulgation of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic might have triggered the crime.

Man stabbed in chest, stomach with screwdriver

The deceased vegetable vendor used to reside with his cousin in the Govind Vadi locality of Kalyan. He was an employee of a man identified as Anand Gupta. While speaking to the Mumbai Mirror, Anand Kumar said that Arvind was smoking near a toilet in the APMC market. Two people saw him and requested him to give them a cigarette. The two men got irked when Arvind declined their request. They allegedly stabbed him with a screwdriver multiple times in the stomach and chest.

Man succumbs to grievous injuries

According to Gupta, Kumar was rushed to the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital located in Kalwa and then was taken to King Edward Memorial Hospital in Mumbai for treatment. However, he succumbed to the grievous injuries inflicted upon him by the two alleged killers.

The incident took place within the territorial jurisdiction of Bajarpet Police. The police stated that the assailants used a screwdriver to attack the now-deceased man. The two accused have been booked under sections 34 (common intention) and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt with dangerous weapons or means) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Efforts to nab them are underway.