Tiff over kite-cutting ends in neighbour’s murder in Gondal

Rajkot: Uttarayan celebrations turned tragic in Gondal town when a banter between neighbours over cutting kites on terrace escalated to the murder of a 38-year-old and left the assailants - a man and his two sons- also grievously injured.The deceased has been identified as Anil Lunasiya, who was engaged in stone tiling work business. Three members of the accused family — brothers Sunil Makwana and Sagar, and their father Kanti — were shifted to the Civil Hospital in Rajkot for treatment."Preliminary investigation revealed that Anil's kite was cut by the two brothers. However, the banter between them turned ugly and escalated into a serious fight," Gondal City police inspector L R Gohil told TOIAccording to the complaint lodged by the deceased's nephew Nisha Sondarva, the incident occurred around 11:45 am on Jan 14, when Anil Lunasiya and his friends were flying kites on the terrace of their house at around 10:30am.When Sondarva stepped outside, he saw Kanti pelting bricks at Anil from his courtyard. Soon, Anil and Sunil confronted each other and began scuffling. During the fight, Kanti allegedly assaulted Anil, while Sagar attacked him with a stick. Sagar then took out a knife and stabbed Anil multiple times on the chest, abdomen and head. During the altercation, Anil managed to snatch the knife from Sagar and retaliated, injuring all three of them.Seeing him bleeding profusely, all three fled the spot. When Sondarva and his mother tried to intervene, they were also attacked.Anil was rushed to the Gondal government hospital, then referred to Rajkot Civil Hospital, and later shifted to a private hospital in Rajkot, where doctors declared him brought dead.The three accused are also undergoing treatment at the Rajkot Civil Hospital and they will be formally arrested once discharged.