NEW DELHI: A 49-year-old labourer was killed allegedly by three men in southeast Delhi's Shaheen Bagh area after he refused to given them a 'bidi', police said on Saturday.
The deceased was identified as Siddique, a resident of Malda in West Bengal, they said, adding that the three accused -- Mohammad Faizan (20), Mohammad Usman (22) and Jaheer Mansoori (20) -- have been arrested.
The deceased had been working as a labourer at the house of a man named Nadeem in Shaheen Bagh area.
Both of them had become good friends and used to often hang out together, they said.
On Thursday evening, when Nadeem along with Siddique were sitting on the banks of Yamuna river and smoking, three men came there and asked them for a 'bidi'.
When they refused, the men started abusing them and thrashed them, police said.
When Siddique and Nadeem ran towards a lane to save themselves, the men chased them and started beating them again.
However, people nearby intervened and saved them, police said.
But the three accused did not stop there and again chased them.
Two of the accused then took skewers from a nearby shop and stabbed Siddique with it.
When Siddique fell unconscious, the three escaped from the spot, police said.
Nadeem took Siddique to his room and tried to give him first aid but when his condition worsened, he rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead by the doctors, a senior police officer said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) RP Meena said, "The scene of crime, route taken by the victims and the accused were inspected based on the statement of Nadeem, who was a witness.
"During analysis of CCTV footage, three men were noticed chasing the victims and later assaulting them."
Acting on a tip-off, raids were conducted at their possible hideouts in Shaheen Bagh and all the three accused were apprehended from near Yamuna riverside, he said.
"During interrogation, Faizan disclosed that on Thursday evening, he along with his two friends were going to his house and on the way, he saw two men smoking near a lane. When they asked for a 'bidi' from them, they refused to give it and argument an started between them which later led to a fight.
"They then took two skewers from a nearby restaurant and stabbed one of them and escaped," the DCP said.
The police have recovered the skewers used in the killing.