Mumbai Central resident convicted for killing neighbour over UNO game

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Thursday convicted a Mumbai Central resident for killing his neighbour, following a dispute over a game of UNO in March 2018.
According to the prosecution, the incident occurred on March 3, 2018, when Noor Mohammad Ansari, 22, and Abuzar Isa, 25, were playing a game of cards on a footpath near their residences. A dispute arose between the two neighbours over the outcome of the game and the argument quickly escalated into a violent confrontation.
Ansari, in a fit of rage, grabbed a knife and inflicted severe injuries on Abuzar’s neck and back, causing substantial blood loss. The attack resulted in Abuzar collapsing and losing consciousness.
He was declared dead on arrival at Nair Hospital, where he was brought by his brother, Islam Ansari, around 6:30 pm. The medical examination confirmed that Abuzar had sustained fatal wounds to his neck and back, which ultimately led to his death. Following the incident, a murder case was registered at the Agripada police station under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Ansari was arrested and prosecuted. During the trial, the court examined the details of the crime, and the nature of the injuries inflicted. Considering the specifics of the case, including the circumstances leading up to the attack and the nature of the injuries, additional sessions judge VM Pathade on Thursday convicted Ansari for killing his 25-year-old neighbour, albeit for a lesser offence in consideration of the intent and the overall context of the crime.
The court convicted Ansari not for murder under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, but for committing culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC. Section 304 covers situations where there is a clear intention to cause bodily harm, but not necessarily to kill. This decision indicated a recognition of the aggravated but not premeditated nature of Ansari’s actions.