25-year-old cyclist killed in Malad road rage stabbing

Mumbai: A 25-year-old biker working in a digital marketing company was killed in a road rage incident near Inorbit Mall in Malad (West) on Saturday morning and Bangur Nagar police arrested a taxi driver and his passenger in connection with the case.The deceased was identified as Sharik Ansari (25), a resident of Malwani, who was on his way to his workplace in Malad (West). The taxi driver Satyendra Gupta (28) and passenger Sunil Pal (27) were both residents of Laljipada in Kandivli West.Gupta called police over the phone and said a cyclist was fighting with him, but before police arrived at the scene, the cyclist had been stabbed. “The problem started after the taxi driver hit the taxi after applying brakes. During the melee, the taxi driver allegedly took out a sharp object from the car and stabbed Ansari. The weapon pierced Ansari’s chest and back of neck. When a fight broke out, the accused was caught red-handed while calling the police himself,” DCP (Zone 11) Sandeep Jadhav said.The incident took place near Inorbit Mall under Oswal metro station between 11 am and 11.30 am. Police said Ansari and Gupta were traveling from Malwani to Andheri via Link Road when a heated argument broke out near Mithjoki junction while driving. “The two sides were arguing while driving, and the altercation quickly escalated. When they parked near the Infiniti Mall in Malad under Oswal Metro Station, the conflict intensified and a physical altercation broke out after the taxi driver got out of the car,” the police officer said.Ansari was riding behind the taxi and his bike slightly touched the taxi, the officer said. “Gupta then stopped his taxi and blocked the path of the cyclist, after which an altercation broke out. During the dispute, Ansari hit the taxi’s windshield with his helmet, damaging the glass. Gupta then got angry and stabbed him. Passenger Parr was also involved in the altercation. Therefore, both Gupta and Pal were booked,” the official said. According to police, witnesses intervened and rushed Ansari to Criticalare Hospital in Malad West district, where doctors declared him brought dead. “The passenger, who is also an accused in the case, was engaged in water pump repair work,” police said. Police seized the weapon used by Gupta to stab Ansari.