Man stabs elder brother to death over mobile phone

Mangaluru: A 40-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death by his younger brother following a quarrel over a mobile phone at Kottara Cross in Mangaluru on Sunday night, police said.

The deceased was identified as Adivappa, while his 36-year-old brother Raju has been booked in connection with the incident. According to the police, the brothers, who hailed from Bailhongal in Belagavi district, lived with their mother in a rented house near Kottara Cross. Their mother ran a small roadside shop and both brothers worked as daily-wage labourers. The two were reportedly under the influence of alcohol when an argument over a mobile phone broke out between them between 10.30 pm and 11 pm on Sunday. The argument soon turned into a physical altercation, during which Raju allegedly stabbed Adivappa with a knife.

Their mother returned home after closing her shop and found Adivappa lying injured in a pool of blood. He was rushed to Wenlock Hospital, but he had died by the time he was brought there, police said. Personnel from Urwa police station visited the scene and conducted an inspection. A case has been registered against Raju and an investigation is underway. Police are examining the circumstances leading to the altercation and the events preceding the stabbing.