A 23-year old resident of Saki Naka was hacked with a chopper allegedly while resisting a robbery in Kurla West on Thursday night. He succumbed to the injuries late into the night

A 23-year old resident of Saki Naka was hacked with a chopper allegedly while resisting a robbery in Kurla West on Thursday night. He succumbed to the injuries late into the night.



Vikas Isave was also attacked when he jumped to his friend's aid

Police said Neeraj Singh was walking towards a mobile phone store in Kurla West around 10.30 pm for a top-up, along with two friends, Vikas Isave (32) and Tejas. Just as he neared the shop on Sunderbaug lane, a man snatched Singh's mobile phone.

When Singh put up a fight, the man assaulted him with a chopper. Isave, who had jumped to his friend's rescue, was also attacked. The robber then escaped.

Both Singh and Isave were rushed to the Rajawadi Hospital with grievous injuries. Due to heavy blood loss, Singh was later shifted to the KEM Hospital, but he died there post-midnight.

Venkat Patil, senior inspector of Ghatkopar police station, said Isave has identified the attacker as Kamran Siddique, whom he had seen in the locality before. "Prima facie, it looks like it was robbery gone wrong. It is yet not clear if the victim and the attacker were known to each other."

A case under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 397 (robbery or dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) of the IPC has been registered. A manhunt for Siddique has been launched.