Bengaluru: Friend-turned-foes beat auto driver to near death

Bengaluru: An old money dispute between friends took a gory turn on Monday night when a 28-year-old auto driver was beaten nearly to death with lethal weapons by his friends near his house in K.G. Halli police station limits.

The victim, Musheer, who sustained serious multiple injuries on his head and back is battling for life at Victoria Hospital. Four of the accused escaped, but the prime accused, Fairoz Khan (23), an auto driver, has been secured by the police after he went to Bowring Hospital for treatment for the injuries he sustained while attacking Musheer.

An eyewitness, Nikhat Sultana, who is also a relative of the victim, said that the attack occurred near Mediscope Hospital in Pillanna Garden around 11.30 pm on Monday when Musheer was sitting outside the house that his family had rented earlier, which is a few metres from his present house. Four youngsters came in a Maruti Omni, while Fairoz came on a two-wheeler and launched the attack. 

"Musheer was talking to me a few minutes before the attack. As we were talking, one of his friends came for Musheer's bike and took it. Musheer told me that he would wait for his friend outside. A few minutes later, the attackers came to the spot and started stabbing him. I shouted for help. Four of them ran away, while one attacker still sat on him and continued stabbing," Nikhat said. 

Another eyewitness said that the four people who had come in the Omni van escaped, while Fairoz, who had come on a bike, ran away leaving his bike on the spot. Musheer's family named Amiru, Sultan, Chanu and Baba in the complaint lodged at the KG Halli police station.

The police said that the accused and victim were friends, but had fallen out after Musheer did not return the money he had taken from Fairoz. "As they found him sitting alone, they attacked him with lethal weapons. We have registered the complaint and are looking for the absconding accused," the police said.