Bengaluru: A 20-year-old youth was killed after he slipped and fell from the fourth floor of an under-construction building while trying to escape from an armed group that attacked him on Old Airport Road on Monday night.
The deceased, Nashal Ismail, who was from Mangaluru, came to the city just two months ago in search of a job. He was staying with his friends at a paying guest accommodation in Thubarahalli.
Earlier in the day, Nashal had a fight with a local group over a trivial issue and the residents had pacified them groups and sent them away. But on Monday night, the rival group armed with logs and clubs accosted Nashal and friends, who were returning home after dinner, and attacked them.
Nashal ran to the terrace of the building to escape, but the group chased and beat him up. Unable to bear the assault, Nashal was trying to cross to another building climbing down holding a sewage pipe when it broke. But the youth was declared brought dead, the police said.
The Old Airport police rushed to the spot, detained seven people and launched a manhunt for the others who are missing. Sources claimed that the gang of accused had a heated argument with Nishal and his friends, who had objected to putting up a banner for an upcoming festival. But the police said that the fight between the two groups was over some other trivial issue.
The gang that attacked Nashal was headed by Santosh alias Bogga and Dhanush, who is a rowdy. “Though it was an accidental fall leading to his death, we have taken up a case of murder and are investigating,” an investigating officer said.
