Cops crack ex-Army captain killing case; call centre staffer

Former Army captain Ravindra Bali was killed on February 1 night after he refused to hand a match box to a 21-year-old call centre employee for lighting a cigarette, police said today claiming they have cracked the murder case.
The mystery behind the death of Bali (67) was unravelled after the accused, identified as Robin Anthony Lazarus, was arrested today, an official said.
Bali, who was living as a recluse in a makeshift tent on a footpath in the Camp area, was bludgeoned to death on February 1.
According to police, Lazarus attacked Bali in a fit of rage after the latter refused to give him a match box in the dead of night.

"Lazarus works as a call centre employee. On the intervening night of February 1 and February 2, he and his friend Kunal More were returning after consuming liquor.
"As their motorcycle broke down in the middle of the road in the Cantonment area, More started pushing the motorcycle while Lazarus walked behind," said a Laskhar police station official.

On the way, Lazarus felt the urge to smoke and spotted Bali's tent along the road.
"He approached Bali, who was asleep, for a match box and tried to wake him up. The angry Bali, however, refused to give him matchbox which angered the accused, who then allegedly hit Bali with a cement block in his head," he said, adding that More who tried to stop Lazarus ran away from the spot.

According to the official, Lazarus had been booked in at least two cases of theft by the city police.
Bali was not in touch with his family for several years and was leading a reclusive life, police had said.