BENGALURU: A fight over a hidden mobile phone resulted in the murder of a 25-year-old man in Marathahalli police station limits in the early hours of Sunday.
The victim, who was taken to his hometown Hubballi for treatment, succumbed to injuries at a hospital there on Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Parashuram Ellappa Mangalagatti and the accused as Ramu, also from Hubballi, who is on the run. They were residing in a rented room near the BESCOM office on Chowdeshwari Road and were working as housekeeping staff at a private hospital in the city.
Ramu, after his night shift, returned home under the influence of alcohol. To prank Parashuram, the accused hid the former’s mobile phone. The victim confronted Ramu and shouted at him to return his phone which resulted in a heated argument. During the altercation, the accused brought a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Parashuram.
He then escaped from the room with his and the victim’s mobile phones. The victim was rushed to a nearby hospital and from there he was shifted to a hospital in Hubballi by his family.
“After the victim succumbed to the injuries, his brother Gangappa Ellappa Mangalagatti reported the matter to the police on Monday. A case of murder has been registered against the accused by the Marathahalli police,” said an officer.