Grocery store owners murder competitor

The police said victim Mukesh Patel (38),a resident of Utkarsh Bungalows,owns a big grocery shop at the Shreeji Shopping Centre in Chandkheda. He ran the shop along with his brother Bharat.

Inspector T S Patel said: “The victim and the accused run grocery chains — adjacent to each other — in the shopping complex. Bharat told us that the accused (all family members) have been abusing Mukesh for a long time. They were jealous that Mukesh was getting all the elite customers.”

He added: “Mukesh and his brother ignored the arguments and discussions thinking it to be a competition between the traders. On Saturday,the accused were harassing him from the morning.

At night,one of the accused picked up a fight as to why was Mukesh ‘stealing away’ his customers.

Both started fighting and the accused picked up an iron rod and hit Mukesh on the head.

The other accused beat him up severely.”

The police said Mukesh sustained severe injuries and was rushed to the Apollo Hospital,where he died a little later.

The police have booked the accused under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code and begun further investigations.