A late-night quarrel at a tea stall in the Singanpor area of Surat escalated into a double murder, resulting in the deaths of two friends in the early hours of Sunday. The Singanpor police swiftly arrested four accused individuals within hours of the incident.
Details of the Incident
The deceased have been identified as Harshil Patil (23) and Bhatti Mali (24). The incident occurred near Mogul Tea Stall, close to the Dabholi BRTS bus stop. According to police reports, Patil and Mali arrived at the tea stall around 12:30 am. Although the stall was closed, they allegedly persuaded the owner to open the shutter after noticing people inside, as they wished to purchase tea and mava.
Police stated that four men—Rahul Kauchat (31), Tejas Shah (31), Akshay Walekar (30), and Pinkesh Walekar (33)—were playing carrom inside the stall at the time. A heated argument soon broke out between the two groups, reportedly after they exchanged glances and began confronting each other.
Escalation and Attack
Following the initial argument, Patil and Mali left the tea stall and headed towards the Rander area. However, the dispute did not end there. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Alok Kumar, the duo returned to the tea stall around 1:30 am and engaged in another confrontation with the accused. Kumar said the dispute quickly turned violent, during which both men were stabbed. The injured individuals were rushed to a hospital, where they succumbed to their injuries during treatment.
Arrests and Investigation
Police Inspector P M Chaudhary confirmed that all four accused were arrested within hours of the incident and have been booked for murder. He added that investigators are working to ascertain whether any other persons were involved in the crime and are also verifying the criminal antecedents of the accused. Following the incident, the Singanpor police launched a search operation and successfully apprehended all four suspects.
The police continue to probe the motive behind the attack and are gathering evidence to build a strong case against the accused. Further details are awaited as the investigation progresses.
