Jamshedpur shop owner stabs customer for not giving Rs 15 change

A shop owner stabbed his customer on Sunday after the latter gave him a Rs 500 note for a chocolate costing Rs 15, police said on Monday.

Police sent betel nut shop owner Dwarika Singh (65) to jail on Monday while the customer Bhagat Mahato was undergoing treatment at the Tata Motors Hospital (TMH) here.

“Dwarika is a hot-tempered middle-aged man. He got into a scuffle with Bhagat Mahato (36) over his inability to pay change. Bhagat told Dwarika that he only had Rs 10 and he would give him Rs 5 later, or he might also take back the chocolate. But an infuriated Dwarika attacked him and stabbed him. We have sent him to jail today,” said Bhusan Kumar, Birsnagar officer-in-charge (OC).

Bhagat who is an auto rickshaw driver went to Dwarika Singh’s shop around 6.30 am and bought a chocolate for his children. He gave Dwarika a Rs 500 note as he only had Rs 10 as change. But the latter refused to take Rs 500 and demanded change. An infuriated Dwarika abused Bhagat for showing up at the auspicious time of starting business for the day. The abuse then led to a scuffle between the two, police said.

“Dwarika is short tempered. Business is also down. Though coins of Rs 1, Rs 2, Rs 5 and Rs 10 are available, there’s much problem in accepting Rs 500 or Rs 2000 note for such a paltry bill of Rs 15. This might have triggered Dwarika’s outrage,” a neighbouring shop owner said.