Nagpur, India: A garage owner was murdered in broad daylight at Ram Nagar Chowk following a dispute over footpath space. The accused, a vegetable seller, has been arrested, while his accomplice is on the run. The incident has caused panic in the area.

The victim, Vishal Nikose (37), lived in Pandhrabodi. The accused are Kisan Ramesh Tiwari (35) from Sanjay Nagar and Nilesh Sarode (25) from Seva Nagar.

Nikose had been running a garage on the footpath for the last ten years, while Tiwari had been selling vegetables nearby for seven years. They often fought over space but never reported it to the police, as both were illegally occupying the footpath.

The dispute worsened in the past two days. On Wednesday, Nikose allegedly slapped Tiwari, which made him angry. The next day, around 3:30 pm, they had another argument. In a fit of rage, Tiwari hit Nikose with a rod, making him fall. He then picked up a stone and struck Nikose multiple times, killing him on the spot. Tiwari and Sarode fled after the attack.

Since the area was crowded, people immediately informed the police. Officers started a search operation and arrested Kisan Tiwari, but Nilesh Sarode is still missing.

Fights over footpath space are common in Nagpur, but authorities rarely take action. Recently, a gang war in the Ambazari area also exposed illegal activities in public places.