New Delhi: A 25-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing a labour contractor following a dispute over payment in north Delhi’s Burari area, police said on Monday.
The accused was identified as Salman, a resident of Naya Gaon, Moradabad in UP, they said.
Salman claimed that Sameer Malik (27), the deceased, had not paid him for his labour from the last two months and they had a dispute over the issue, police said.
On Saturday around 5 pm, police received information about a body found in a bed at Sant Nagar, Burari.
The body had injury marks from knife and bricks, a senior police officer said.
Malik who lived in the rented room used to work as a labour contractor. When the owner of the house came there, he found the room locked from outside. He called Malik’s family in Moradabad and the deceased’s brother came to Delhi, police said.
After breaking the lock of the room they found Malik’s body inside a bed.
A search was started for Salman who, from the last three months, was living with Malik while working as a mason, the officer said. adding the two were from the same village.
“A joint police team conducted raids at the hideouts of Salman and arrested him from Aghwanpur, Moradabad in UP. A knife used in the crime was recovered from him,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Anto Alphonse said.
During interrogation, Salman disclosed that on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, he and Malik consumed liquor. Meanwhile, an argument took place between them over the payment of dues, the DCP said.
The argument escalated and Salman killed Malik with knife and brick. He hid the body in the bed and fled from the spot, police added.