DUBAI: A 25-year-old man in India allegedly shot dead a colleague last week because he introduced him to smoking that led to him developing throat cancer.
The accused, identified as Mustakeem Ahmad, was arrested in Delhi on Friday, the Hindustan Times reported Sunday.
Ahmad worked at a restaurant in the western part of the city with the 25-year-old victim, identified only as Anaytullah.
“Though Ahmad and Anaytullah were friends at the workplace, Anaytullah was reportedly better at his job and well-behaved and soon became the favorite of the restaurant owner,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Shibesh Singh.
According to the police, Ahmad began smoking cigarettes and marijuana and claims to have been influenced by Anaytullah.
“In the course of time, Ahmad developed throat infection, forcing him to consult a doctor. Ahmad has claimed that the doctor told him he had developed throat cancer due to excessive smoking,” Singh said, according to the newspaper.
According to the police, Ahmad said he blamed his former co-worker for encouraging him to smoke and returned to his native village in Uttar Pradesh to procure a pistol, the Times of India reported.
“He first practiced firing in his village, before returning to Delhi a few days ago,” the deputy commissioner of police said.
Ahmad allegedly visited the restaurant on Thursday morning and tried to have Anaytullah sacked from his post.
“He was carrying his loaded pistol to the restaurant and had planned to kill Anaytullah if he failed to get him fired from the job. That is what eventually happened. Ahmad ended up picking a fight with Anaytullah. He later shot at him in the middle of the argument,” said an unnamed investigator, according to the Hindustan Times.
Ahmad fled the scene but was apprehended by police on Friday.