21 March,2017 06:01 AM IST | | Faisal Tandel
A vada pav shop owner in Ulhasnagar, who suffered grievous burns after his business rival set him on fire on Monday, has died. Accused had poured kerosene over the victim and set him on fire, before running away
Chandralal Ramrakhyani's vada pav stall. Pics /Navneet Barhate
A 49-year-old vada pav shop owner, who suffered grievous burns after his business rival set him on fire on Monday, died early this morning.
The Vitthalwadi police have registered a murder case and are currently looking for the absconding accused.
According to the police, the victim, identified as Chandralal Ramrakhyani, had been selling vada pav and other snacks at the Mumbai Mahalaxmi Vada Pav centre in Ulhasnagar for the last two years. Ramrakhyani had rented the shop, which is located on the east of Ulhasnagar railway station.
Victim Chandralal Ramrakhyani
The accused, Suresh Ahuja, had been running the same business at the shop two years prior to this. However, he couldn't keep the business afloat. "We are not aware of what led Ahuja to shut shop, but many claimed that he wasn't too happy that Ramrakhyani's business had taken off so well. Ahuja would visit the shop often and ask him to stop selling snacks. But, Ramrakhyani did not take him seriously," said Surendra Shirsat, senior police inspector, Vitthalwadi police station.
Ahuja also wanted to set up a stall in front of the shop, but Ramrakhyani had been opposing the same.
On Monday, Ahuja visited the shop again. However, this time, he poured kerosene over Ramrakhyani and set him on fire, before running away.
The victim was rushed to a local hospital. "Since he suffered 100 per cent burns, he was later shifted to the Airoli Burn Centre in Navi Mumbai, where he succumbed to his injuries yesterday morning," said another police officer.
"We have filed a murder case against the accused," added Shirsat.
