Amethi shopkeeper kills customer, injures his friend after argument over puffed rice

Amethi, Oct 15 (PTI) A 25-year-old man was killed and his friend was injured by a shopkeeper here who turned violent following an argument over roasting puffed rice, police said on Wednesday.

The incident took place late on Tuesday evening in Bhausinghpur village near the Amethi-“Kalikhan Khurdia turn, they said.

According to police sources, Chandan Vishwakarma, a resident of Kohra Mahmadpur in Amethi, had come to visit his maternal grandfather's house in Bhausinghpur along with his friend Rahul Yadav (25), a resident of Padri Pahadganj area.

On Tuesday evening, the two men went to a lai (puffed rice) shop run by Ashok Kumar Kashyap, son of Vasudev Kashyap, near the local liquor outlet.

A quarrel broke out between the shopkeeper and Rahul, which soon turned heated. The shopkeeper allegedly attacked the customers with a sharp-edged shovel used for roasting.

Rahul died on the spot, while Chandan sustained injuries.

Amethi Superintendent of Police Aparna Rajat Kaushik, who visited the spot, said Rahul and Chandan were taken to the community health centre in Sangrampur, where doctors declared Rahul dead on arrival.

"The body has been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway. Police teams have been deployed to trace and arrest the accused," Kaushik said, adding that the situation in the area is now normal. PTI COR KIS RUK RUK