A 25-year-old man, allegedly affiliated with a political party, was stabbed to death in Delhi on Wednesday night after an argument at a birthday party.
The family of Rohit Sharma, also known as Rinku Sharma, has alleged a communal motive to his murder, but the police have denied it asserting that it is inquiring into all angles.
Delhi police have also arrested five accused, Nashruddin, Islam, Mehtab, Jahid and Tajuddin on Thursday and charged them with murder.
As per Delhii police, Rinku Sharma had gone to his friend Babu’s birthday party near his home in Mangolpuri in outer Delhi on that day. The five accused were also at the party. They were all neighbours and had all known each other for long.
“An argument and a fight broke out at the party, after which Rinku Sharma reportedly went home. The five men followed him and attacked him with a knife, stabbing him in his back,” the police said.
In CCTV footage of the fight that broke out near his home, a group can be seen, armed with lathi and sticks.
“So far, during the investigation, it has surfaced that the quarrel started during a birthday party over the shutdown of a restaurant. It was business rivalry,” the police added.
But Rinku Sharma’s family alleges the fight erupted over a rally he had organised last year to raise donations for the construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. He was associated with both the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). His brother Manu Sharma said he was also active in the Bajrang Dal.
The family alleges he had been threatened repeatedly over the past few months.
Meanwhile, netizens have questioned the law and order situation of the national capital, following this gruesome murder.
