Kamal Ghorui
Mumbai: A 25-year-old biker employed in a digital marketing company was killed in a road rage incident near Inorbit Mall in Malad (West) on Saturday morning, and the Bangur Nagar police arrested a taxi driver and his passenger in connection with the case.The deceased was identified as Sharik Ansari (25), a Malvani resident, who was heading to his workplace in Malad (West). Cab driver Satyendra Gupta (28) and passenger Sunil Pal (27) are both residents of Laljipada in Kandivli West.Gupta alerted the police over the phone that a biker was involved in a fight with him, but before the police could reach the spot, the biker had been stabbed. “The problem started after the biker crashed into the cab after the cabbie applied the brake. During the scuffle, the cab driver allegedly took out a sharp object from his vehicle and stabbed Ansari. The weapon pierced Ansari’s chest and the back of his neck. The accused was caught at the spot as he himself called the police when the fight broke out,” said DCP (Zone XI) Sandeep Jadhav.The incident occurred between 11 am and 11.30 am near Inorbit Mall under the Oswal Metro station. Police said both Ansari and Gupta were travelling from Malwani towards Andheri via Link Road when a heated argument broke out near Mith Chowky Junction while they were driving. “The verbal spat quickly escalated as both continued driving while arguing. The confrontation intensified when they stopped their vehicles near Infiniti Mall in Malad under the Oswal Metro station and got into a physical fight after the cab driver stepped out of his vehicle,” said the police officer.The officer said Ansari was riding behind the taxi, and his bike slightly touched the vehicle. “Gupta then stopped his cab and blocked the biker’s way, following which an altercation broke out. During the argument, Ansari hit the taxi’s windscreen with his helmet and damaged the glass. Gupta then got angry and stabbed him. The passenger, Pal, was also involved in the altercation. Hence, both Gupta and Pal were booked,” said the officer. According to the police, witnesses intervened and rushed Ansari to Criticare Hospital in Malad West, where doctors declared him dead. “The passenger, who is also accused in the case, is into water pump repair work,” said the police. Police have seized the weapon that Gupta used to stab Ansari.
