What initially appeared to be a fatal road accident in Karnataka's Mangaluru has now taken a suspected murder angle, with police investigation pointing to an alleged act of deliberate retaliation following a dispute over a mobile phone.
The incident, which was caught on camera, occurred near a petrol pump in Boliyar on Monday evening, when a Bolero pickup vehicle rammed into a two-wheeler from behind.
The impact caused the two-wheeler to go out of control and crash into an electric pole. The pickup vehicle also hit the pole, causing it to break.
The two-wheeler rider, Mohammed Arfaz (22), a resident of Arebinagar in Kinya, and his friend, Mohammed Afraz, were killed.
While the circumstances initially suggested a road accident, subsequent police interrogation revealed a possible motive behind the collision.
According to preliminary findings, the accused, identified as Hafeez, and the two-wheeler occupants had differences and got into an argument over a mobile phone belonging to a mutual friend near Rantadka Cross.
The disagreement then escalated into a physical fight. The pickup vehicle is then suspected to have followed the scooter and rammed into it.
Based on the preliminary findings, police have registered a murder case and are investigating the incident.
However, investigators are yet to corroborate the accused's alleged admission with witness statements and other evidence.
The police said a detailed investigation would establish the exact sequence of events and the circumstances that led to the fatal collision.
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