16-year-old beaten to death over a cup of tea near police station

Shalini Narayan, Tue, Sep 27, 2011, New Delhi:

A 16-year-old boy was beaten to death, allegedly by the son of a tea stall owner, over a cup of tea near the Seelampur police station in Northeast Delhi on Sunday evening.

Arif (19) has been arrested based on a complaint filed by victim’s cousin.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northeast) Sanjay Jain, “Around 6.10 pm, we received a call that someone is lying unconscious near the Seelampur police station bus stand. A PCR van went to the spot and rushed the youth to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival.”

Jain said a case of murder has been registered as the complainant said “the victim and the accused had a scuffle over tea, which turned violent, leading to the victim’s death”.

The victim has been identified as Manju, who ran an artificial jewellery kiosk near the rear gate of the Seelampur police station with his cousin Fauji.

According to the FIR, Manju had gone to buy a cup of tea for himself from a tea stall, which is at a distance of a few metres from the police station. On way he met Arif who was carrying tea to be delivered elsewhere.

“Manju asked him to give him tea, but Arif said he was taking it elsewhere. Manju abused Arif and said he would pay him for the tea. A scuffle ensued, during which Arif held Manju’s collar and slapped and punched him a few times. Manju fell to the ground,” states the FIR.

Fauji, however, claimed that police did not record his entire complaint. “Since we sit outside the police station, the officers usually ask us to get them tea from stall, which belongs to one Shariq. This time too Manju was sent to get four cups of tea. When Manju delivered the tea, they only paid for three, saying they didn’t require the fourth cup. Manju then collected the money and went back to the tea stall. He told Shariq that he had been paid only for three cups. This angered Shariq, whose son then picked up a fight with my cousin and beat him to death,” Fauji said.

Eyewitnesses said Manju was beaten to death near the rear gate of the police station.

“I saw the two boys fighting outside the police station gate, but I didn’t pay too much attention since such fights are common. It was only later that I found out that the child had succumbed to injuries,” said a jewellery shopowner who sits near Manju’s kiosk.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/16yearold-beaten-to-death-over-a-cup-of-tea-near-police-station/852290/0