Mumbai: A 30-year-old man from Mulund who ran an event management company died on Wednesday evening after he was allegedly stabbed at least 24 times all over his body.
Rajesh Lakhwanis assailants fled after stabbing him in a secluded spot near the pipeline at Dangarpada in Mulund around 6.15 pm, the police said. He died of the injuries in a private hospital.
After he was attacked, Lakhwani managed to walk from the spot where he was stabbed to a hutment nearby. A young boy saw him bleeding and alerted residents in the locality.
When people gathered around him, Lakhwani pointed to a building in Sainath Nagar nearby and told them his name. A few people rushed to Lotus Building to get Lakhwani's family members. His mother Kavita Soni and younger brother Kamlesh rushed to the place and took Lakhwani to the Mulund general hospital in an autorickshaw. Around 8.05 pm, Lakhwani succumbed to the injuries.
Acting on the statement given by Kavita, police officials surveyed the spot Lakhwani was stabbed and recovered a knife. The weapon will be sent to Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory for examination.
Kavita said, "My son was a very smart and cheerful boy. He never had any kind of rivalry with anyone. He had many friends who kept in touch with him regularly. They met him everyday at his workplace as well as at other places where he went to hang out. It could be that some friend would have done this to him because of some rivalry."
According to Kavita, Lakhwani worked in a western suburb for a long time, but quit his job two years back due to problems with some people at his workplace. Since then he was involved in the event management business. His younger brother Kamlesh works in a BPO. Lakhwani was born and brought up in Mulund and did his schooling and college from the same township.
Police inspector Chandrakant Thakur from the Mulund police station said, "We are investigating the case and trying to find out the reason behind the murder. We are also questioning his friends who were close to him. Further investigations are on."
So far, the police have recorded the statements of at least five people to gather clues in the case.
The building's watchman said that Lakhwani had odd working hours and often returned home late in the nights.
