Siddarth Sethia
A prank involving a hidden mobile phone turned fatal after a 25-year-old housekeeping staff member was allegedly stabbed to death by his friend during a quarrel in east Bengaluru.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday within the limits of Marathahalli Police Station.
The victim was identified as Parashuram Ellappa Mangalagatti,while the accused,Ramu,is currently absconding.
Both men were natives of Hubballi and were staying in a rented room near the BESCOM office on Chowdeshwari Road.They were employed as housekeeping staff at a private hospital in Bengaluru.
Senior officer told reporters that Ramu returned to the room after completing his night shift and was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
In what police described as a prank,he reportedly hid Parashuram’s mobile phone.When Parashuram demanded that the phone be returned,an argument broke out between the two friends.
During the heated altercation,Ramu allegedly took a knife from the kitchen and stabbed Parashuram before fleeing from the room with both his own and the victim’s mobile phones.
Parashuram was initially rushed to a nearby hospital in Bengaluru.Later,his family shifted him to a hospital in Hubballi for further treatment,where he succumbed to injuries on Monday.
Following his death,the victim’s brother,Gangappa Ellappa Mangalagatti,lodged a complaint with the police.
Based on the complaint,Marathahalli police registered a murder case against the accused and launched a search operation to trace him.
