UP elderly man beheads ice cream seller. Then tries to burn severed head

A 25-year-old ice cream seller was beheaded by a 50-year-old man in Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki district following a verbal altercation. The incident unfolded in broad daylight on Saturday, with the accused not only cutting off the victim's head but also attempting to burn it.

According to police, Bablu, a resident of another village, 20 kilometres from the crime scene, had come to sell ice cream in the area, as he did regularly. However, a dispute soon began when Shankar Yadav objected to Bablu selling ice cream in the area. When the vendor refused to leave, the verbal argument escalated into a violent confrontation.

The matter quickly spiralled out of control, and Shankar Yadav allegedly attacked Bablu with a sharp weapon, beheading him on the spot. After committing the crime, the accused allegedly attempted to burn the victim's severed head, making the incident even more horrifying. People present at the scene fled in panic after witnessing the brutal attack.

Police reached the spot soon after receiving information about the incident and arrested the accused, Shankar Yadav.

The victim's body has been sent for post-mortem examination and the police have begun a detailed investigation.

Superintendent of Police Arpit Vijayvargiya told India Today that the accused appeared to have a disturbed or unstable mindset and committed the crime over a trivial dispute related to selling ice cream. He added that the victim's body had been placed near a fire, causing partial burns.

Police are currently interrogating the accused, and further legal action is underway. The brutal killing has created shock and fear across the region.

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(Inputs from Syed Rehan Mustafa Rizvi)