Mumbai: Kurla Government Railway Police on Wednesday arrested a minor for allegedly stabbing a 35-year-old man following a dispute over the fourth seat in a local train.

The incident took place on November 15 when Ankush Bhalerao landed at Ghatkopar station where the accused was waiting. The previous day, the duo had exchanged heated words, following which Bhalerao and his friends attacked the accused.

The youth fatally stabbed Bhalerao before fleeing the scene in a bid for revenge. The photograph taken by the deceased during the previous argument on the train helped the police catch the suspect.

The Government Railway Police Special Task Force tracked down the accused using CCTV footage from the station and arrested him at Titwala two days after the murder. Police later arrested the defendant’s elder brother, Muhammad Sanaullah Baitha (25), who allegedly helped hide the gun.

According to railway police officers, Bhalerao was admitted to Rajawadi Hospital following the attack, where doctors discovered that his liver was damaged. He died while receiving treatment. Before his death, Bhalerao gave a statement to police detailing the fight and threats made by the defendant. “Bhalerao showed us the accused’s photo on his phone,” said a police officer from Kurla GRP.

“The defendant was wearing a hoodie at the time of the attack, making identification very difficult, but the photo helped us identify him,” the officer added. During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the crime. “He revealed that the knife used in the crime was kept in his brother’s workshop,” a police officer said.

The suspect, who appeared before the Juvenile Justice Board, was sent to a children’s home.