Hyderabad, Sep 21: An auto-rickshaw driver was to death allegedly by a group of people following an argument over Rs. 10 change in the old city of Hyderabad, police said.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening in Vattepally under limits of Falaknuma Police Station.

The victim was identified as Mohammed Mukarram (42). His brother Mohammed Afroz said he was brutally assaulted and murdered in front of his family members.

According to Afroz, when a passenger who gave Rs.200 note to Mukarram towards the auto fare of Rs.10, Mukarram asked him to pay the change. This led to an argument and the passenger called some others who thrashed Mukarram, resulting in grievous injuries. He succumbed before he could be shifted to a hospital.

Afroz alleged that Azeem, reporter of a local news channel, Shoaib and 6-8 others were involved in the killing.

“My brother was epileptic and weak-hearted. Despite my requests to spare him, they kept raining blows on him and he collapsed,” said Afroz as he broke down narrating the incident before media.

Mukarram is survived by wife and four children. Afroz demanded the government to do justice to the family by ensuring harshest punishment to the killers.

Police said they have registered a case and took up investigation.

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MLA Mohammed Mubeen visited the area and consoled the family of the victim.

The MLA demanded immediate arrest of the accused. He voiced concern over the growing incidents of crime in Vattepally area and demanded the police to intensify patrolling.

The incident occurred amid spate of murders in Hyderabad. The city has witnessed eight murders during the last two weeks.

Use of knives, sickles and other sharp-edged weapons for targeting murders in crowded places is causing a huge public concern.

Last week, a rowdy sheeter was hacked to death inside a wine shop permit room in Bandlaguda area. Previous enmity with a childhood friend was said to be the motive behind the killing.

Voicing concern over the series of murders, AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi recently demanded that the government establish dedicated anti-murder squads of the police to ensure swift investigations and secure convictions within a year.

Nalanda, Sep 21: A brick kiln contractor allegedly abducted and brutally assaulted a labourer and his wife over a disputed debt of Rs 1,000, killing the labourer, Surendra Manjhi, and burying his body in a pit, police said. The body was later recovered, and raids were launched to arrest the accused on Monday.

The deceased man’s wife, Nauleja Devi, alleged that she and her husband were forcibly taken from their house and assaulted. She also claimed that the accused subjected them to electric shocks inside a house.

Speaking to media, Nauleja said, “We had taken the money and had almost paid all of it, but only Rs 1,000 was left.”

“They came and kidnapped us and beat me and my husband after tying us to a tree. They beat us four times. They almost broke my legs, but somehow I managed to save myself,” she alleged.

“They killed my husband around 4 a.m. Only Rs 1,000 was left to pay. We had already paid the entire Rs 60,000 we had taken from them,” she said.

“Despite us having paid the money, they abducted me and my husband,” she alleged.

Nauleja further alleged that the accused were demanding Rs 7 lakh over the remaining Rs 1,000.

“They were demanding Rs 7 lakh for Rs 1,000. How could we have paid such a huge amount? We had taken this money around four years ago. That is why they were demanding it and killed my husband,” she alleged.

Nauleja claimed that the accused took them to Paparnousa village, where her husband was allegedly killed.

“They took us to Paparnousa village, where they killed my husband. They murdered him in that village itself. Those who killed him were from the Yadav community,” she alleged.

The woman is a resident of Nilkanth Bigha village and said she and her husband had been working at a brick kiln for around a year.

“We were working there at the brick kiln for one year,” she said.

The incident reportedly took place around a week ago.

She further alleged that she and her husband had been working at the brick kiln and named Mukesh Yadav, Manish, Dilkhush and Mauli Devi as those allegedly responsible for the incident.

Police have recovered Surendra’s body and launched raids to trace and arrest the accused. Further investigation into the allegations and circumstances surrounding the death is underway.

Mumbai, Sep 21: The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the investigation into the suicide by IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, with investigators focussing on examining his mobile phone for any suicide note or other digital evidence, as no such note was found at the hostel room.

Investigators are conducting a technical analysis of the seized device and inspecting the crime scene at Hostel No. 4 on the Powai campus to assess the available evidence and circumstances surrounding the September 18 incident.

Authorities are expected to issue summons to individuals named in the FIR, including Professor Suryanarayan Dula, for questioning.

Sahil’s parents have alleged that he faced caste-based harassment and mental harassment by faculty members in the months leading up to his death.

The case has been registered under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for alleged abetment of suicide, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. An ACP-rank officer is leading the investigation.

Meanwhile, the IIT Bombay administration and protesting students and parents appeared headed for a standoff on Monday over the death of 22-year-old Sahil Wakode.

Wakode was found dead in his hostel room on the IIT Bombay campus on Friday, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.

The matter has intensified as both the protesters and the administration have taken strong positions over the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

IIT Bombay apologised and said, “We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil. The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities. In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process.”

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has expressed grief over Wakode’s death and extended its support to Professor Suryanarayan Dula, who was the course instructor and invigilator during the examination.

The Faculty Forum expressed deep sorrow over the student’s death and conveyed its condolences to his family, saying that its thoughts were with them during the difficult time.

The Forum also expressed its full solidarity with Professor Dula, stating that he was performing his duties in accordance with the academic policies approved by the institute’s Senate and currently in force.

According to the Forum, a mid-term examination was conducted on September 18, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. During the examination, Professor Dula, who was the course instructor and invigilator, allegedly observed a student committing an academic irregularity.

According to the statement, the student was in possession of a smartphone and was using it without permission during the examination. As per the institute’s established procedure, Professor Dula reported the incident to the institute authorities for further action.

The Faculty Forum stated that Professor Dula had performed his academic duties and followed the procedures approved by the institution. It also expressed concern over the impact of the incident on the professor’s reputation.

The Forum said it was deeply distressed that the reputation of a professor performing his official and academic duties was being affected. It reiterated its support for Professor Dula, stating that he had acted in accordance with the institution’s existing academic policies.