A 30-year-old man, Mohammad Nawaz Alam, was brutally murdered after a minor allegedly sat on his chest and slit his throat with a knife inside his rented accommodation in Lalbagh area of Ashok Rajpath in the state capital on Saturday morning. The incident is suspected to be linked to a love affair involving a minor girl from the victim’s family. Nawaz’s wife sustained serious injuries while trying to save him and is battling for life at Patna Medical College Hospital (PMCH).
Nawaz, according to police, worked as a salesman at a mall in Patna. He lived on the third floor of a building owned by Sarfaraz Alam along with his wife, Nazia Parveen, and their two-year-old daughter.
The incident took place between 6.30am and 7am under Pirbahore police station area, when the couple were asleep in their room. The accused, a minor, sneaked into the building and entered the victim’s room. According to Parveen’s statement, she woke up to a horrifying sight — a young boy sitting on her husband’s chest and slitting his throat with a knife. When she rushed to save him, the attacker turned on her, stabbing her in the neck and arm.
Neighbours rushed to the flat after hearing screams and found Nawaz’s body lying in a pool of blood with the door open. Nazia was also bleeding profusely. The police were immediately informed and they were taken to the hospital.
A forensic team reached the spot and collected evidence while police scanned CCTV footage from nearby areas to trace the movements of the accused. Town DSP I Rajesh Ranjan said the attacker has been identified and raids are being conducted to arrest him.
Ranjan told media that the case appears to arise from a love affair between the accused minor boy and a minor girl from the victim’s family. Both studied in the same school since Class VIII and are currently in Class XII. It appears that the girl blocked the boy’s number about a month ago. To verify the accused, the police went to the school and the principal immediately identified both the boy and the girl. “They had also counselled them in the school a few days ago,” the DSP said.
On Friday evening, the girl’s father caught the boy near double-decker flyover on a two-wheeler after he allegedly threw two stones at their flat, located on the same floor as Nawaz’s residence. He managed to flee after the confrontation.
The DSP confirmed that only one person — the minor boy — was involved in the attack. “The boy entered the house by sliding the bolt through a gap in the steel door from the entrance. He is currently absconding and raids are underway to arrest him. The victim’s wife also identified the attacker. Despite stab injuries to her throat, she is able to speak and her statement has been recorded. Her condition is still critical,” Ranjan said, adding it was unclear why the boy killed the girl’s relative when he had the confrontation with her father.
Angry people blocked Ashok Rajpath near Patna University by placing the victim’s body on the road and burned tyres. Hundreds of people gathered outside the deceased's home, demanding the arrest of the accused. Ashok Rajpath was blocked for nearly an hour. Upon receiving the information, police pacified the crowd and cleared the traffic.
