A 20-year-old youth was allegedly stabbed by his neighbour in a petty dispute in northeast Delhi's Dayalpur area, police said on Saturday.

On Friday around 10 pm, Rahul from Brijpuri had gone to have ice cream with his cousin Sonu, 19, after dinner near Shibban School, a senior police officer said.

There Rahul had an encounter with a 20-year-old Mohammad Zaid who lives in the same street as he does, and got into fight with him, during which Zaid stabbed Rahul in the lower abdomen, the officer said. Sonu also got knifed in hand.

Paramilitary has been deployed in the area to prevent any communal flareups, police said.

The investigation so far has revealed that the two had some ego clash. Zaid works as a carpenter with his father, while Rahul supplies chips and other edibles, and his father sells candy.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) Joy Tirkey said, "It was a trivial issue that led to a scuffle between them. Zaid, who was alone that time, was having a sharp object most likely a knife and attacked Rahul. When Sonu came to his rescue, he also received injury in his hand. Efforts are being made to nab him." Zaid, absconding, has been booked under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) and 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) at Dayalpur Police Station, the officer said.

Rahul is currently admitted in the ICU ward of GTB hospital.

Ram Swaroop, Rahul's father, said he had gone to have ice cream when the incident took place.

"Rahul and his cousin Sonu had gone to have ice cream after dinner. There they had an argument with a person who was having noodles. We heard that a fight broke out between them and he stabbed Rahul. When Sonu intervened he too was knifed. Rahul has been admitted to the GTB hospital. He is currently in ICU," Ram Swaroop said.

Madhu, Rahul's sister, said she wants a strict punishment for Zaid.

"We heard last night that Rahul was hurt in a fight. When we rushed to the spot, we saw Zaid fleeing. Police have registered a case and have also questioned us. We want strict punishment for him," she said.

According to family members, there are CCTVs mounted where the incident took place but they don't have access to the footage.

A local said a big crowd gathered after the stabbing and they saw some people helping Zaid escape.

Rahul's uncle Surendra said Rahul was first rushed to a local doctor, but later shifted to Shahdra's GTB hospital.

"We took Rahul to a local doctor who asked us to shift him to a bigger hospital. This kind of act should not be tolerated," he said.

Sonu's sister Geeta said her entire family rushed to the spot near the school when they got a call by Sonu who told them about the fight. "Police sent us home saying they will handle it." Delhi Cabinet minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj in a tweet in Hindi attacked the BJP over the matter.

"A stabbing incident in Brijpuri area of Delhi. It doesn't feel like this is the national capital. Now there is a Hindu-Muslim angle too. Now the BJP can raise a hue and cry, and can also question LG sir?" he said.

Police in Delhi is administered by the Union Home Ministry currently under the governance of the BJP.

Brijpuri is one of the areas where major clashes were witnessed during the 2020 northwest Delhi riots that had flared ostensibly over the anti–CAA agitation. The riots claimed more than 50 lives, a majority of them Muslims.

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