In an incident of road rage, a 40-year-old dentist was allegedly beaten to death with hockey sticks and iron roads by a group of people, including at least four juveniles, following a dispute in west Delhi’s Vikaspuri area. Following the brutal murder, the police have arrested nine people in connection with the incident.

The victim was identified as Dr. Pankaj Narang, who survived with his wife and son. The incident took place at around 12.00 a.m. on Thursday night when the dentist was playing cricket with his son.

The police said at a little after midnight, Dr. Narang was playing cricket in his home with his son and nephew, celebrating India’s one-run victory over Bangladesh in the World Twenty20 tournament. The ball bounced out on to the road and the dentist’s eight-year-old son ran out to retrieve it. Just then, Naseer, the prime accused in the beating and one of the minors arrested were speeding past on a motorbike, which grazed the child. Dr Narang flagged them down and a heated argument followed after which the duo abandoned the motorbike on the spot and fled. However, they later returned along with a dozen more people and allegedly attacked the dentist at his residence, using sticks and rods to beat him. They also allegedly hit people who came to the dentist’s rescue.

When locals called the police around midnight, the alleged assailants fled. Narang, who sustained a deep wound to his skull, was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

The police said today that all the accused live in a slum just behind the dentist’s home and do casual jobs at a local market. While the men arrested are in their early twenties, the minors are between 17 and 18 years in age. A case with charges of murder, attempt to murder, trespassing and rioting has been registered, police said.