Mumbai : A 32-year-old man was killed on his birthday in Ghatkopar on Sunday night.
According to the police, Nitesh Sawant, Shiv Sena worker and a resident of Gauri Shankar Wadi at Pant Nagar, was celebrating his birthday in a garden with his friends, when a group of six people attacked him with sharp-edged weapons.
Reportedly, an altercation between Sawant and another group had occurred a week ago, which could have triggered his murder. Six people have been arrested and booked under relevant IPC sections for the murder.
The police sources said around 8.30-9pm on Sunday, a group of 6-7 people, allegedly led by Sanket Kharat (26), approached Sawant and attacked him with a sharp-edged weapon. The accused fled the spot. However, they were identified by other guests at the party. Sawant was rushed to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital, where he was declared dead due to serious internal injuries.
Hours after the murder, police arrested six persons. The arrested accused are Kharat, Mahesh Shivalkar (29), Prasad Gapat (22), Rohan Nikam (29), Kamlesh Hole (20) and Yash Ichale (19). Senior inspector Pratap Bhosale said a misunderstanding between Sawant and those arrested seems to have triggered the murder and they hatched a conspiracy to attack Sawant on his birthday.
“Prima facie it seems a case of enmity. Around 4-5 days ago, there was an altercation between Sawant and one of the arrested accused. Suspectedly, they called a few more people and killed Sawant,” Bhosale added.
The accused have been booked under IPC sections for murder (302), unlawful assembly (143), joining unlawful assembly armed with deadly weapon (144), rioting (147), armed with deadly weapon (148), every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object (149). They will be produced in a court on Tuesday.
