Civic sweeper held for killing friend

A 28-year-old sweeper was arrested for allegedly killing his friend by slitting his throat with a beer bottle in suburban Ghatkopar, the police said today.

The incident was reported at the Ghatkopar police station at 1 AM today.

Sachin Sevankar, a contractual sweeper working with the BMC, had an argument with Irfan Nasir Shaikh (25) after the latter asked him for money, an official said.

In a fit of rage, Sevankar took a bottle of beer, broke it and allegdely slit Shaikh's throat, he added.

"Police arrested Sevankar when he was trying to flee the city," Ghatkopar station senior police inspector Vyankat Patil said.
 

Shaikh's brother has claimed that Sevankar attacked his friend suspecting that he had tipped off the police about Sevankar in a ten-year-old criminal case, the officer said, adding that "we are investigating the claim".