Cigarette vendor torched after tiff over money dies

A 55-year-old vendor who was set on fire at his shop after a tiff over money for three cigarettes succumbed to his injuries at Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital after battling for life for 10 days.

Abdul Gafur, the lone bread winner of his family in Maneser in Haryana, was involved in a heated exchange of words with a Kanhaiya of Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh on the night of May 3.

Kanhaiya bought three cigarettes from Gafur's shop located at IMT Maneser and smoked them one after the other.

When he was asked to pay up, he used abusive language at Gafur who paid back in the same coin. Kanhaiya eventually paid the money and left in a huff, Assistant Commissioner of Police Shamsher Singh said.

"Kanhaiya felt humiliated over the way Gafur took the money from him. He decided to take revenge. With a bottle of petrol, he went again to Gafur around 9 p.m. on May 4 and demanded a cigarette," the officer said.

"While he was smoking and Gafur was busy in some work, he poured petrol on him and threw the burning cigarette on him. The accused did not allow Gafur to come out of the shop. Gafur collapsed inside with severe burn injuries," Singh said.

Gafur was eventually rescued and taken to Gurugram's Civil Hospital with 80 per cent burn injuries. He was then taken to Safdarjung Hospital.

The accused has been arrested, the officer said.

--IANS

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