Vadodara: A bit of banter turned deadly for a 28-year-old man who was stabbed to death by a ‘friend’ in the Raopura area of the city early on Monday morning.According to investigators, the victim, Yash Thakur, who worked at a roadside eatery, had been hanging out with his friends Bhim Bahadur Soni and Mehul Mali. Thakur had met Soni and Mali near a mall in the Tarsali area. The trio got onto a two-wheeler and went to have tea. After a while, they decided to visit the tea stall run by Soni’s brother near SSG Hospital. While riding to the old city, there was an argument between Soni and Thakur over some jokes. Thakur got off the two-wheeler and decided to return home on his own. He even phoned another friend to pick him up. Soni and Mali went back to him and insisted that he travel with them, saying they would drop him home. “Thakur agreed and got back onto the two-wheeler. The argument with Soni soon flared up again and Thakur abused him. An enraged Soni stopped the two-wheeler near the govt press next to Kothi Crossroads, drew a knife and stabbed Thakur in the chest,” said H A Rathod, ACP (crime). Thakur fell at the spot, after which Soni and Mali fled, at about 3am. Passersby saw Thakur in a pool of blood and called police. Investigators began scanning footage from CCTV cameras in the area. “It emerged that Thakur had been travelling with Soni and Mali. We tracked down Mali to the Tarsali area and he admitted that Soni had committed the crime,” a police officer said. Police then apprehended Soni.Police said Soni has a history of offences such murder, assault and prohibition violation. He had killed a man in Makarpura when he was a minor. “The investigation thus far points to the involvement of these two. Raopura police will investigate the case further,” Rathod said.
