JAIPUR: A 40-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death with a stone in front of Barodamev police station Thursday morning in what police described as a “random act of violence” by a 25-year-old man with a history of violent behaviour.The accused, identified as Harsh Moortikar, allegedly knocked Sekun Khan off his motorcycle and repeatedly hit his head with a stone lying on the road around 10 am. Police said there was no prior acquaintance between the two.Alwar SP Sudheer Choudhary said the accused told police during questioning that he could have killed anyone and that there was no specific reason for targeting Khan. “He said he would have killed anyone. It appears to be a random act of violence,” Choudhary said. The SP said there was no communal angle to the crime.According to police, Harsh had previously fought with his father. Police also said he had cuts on his own body when he was arrested. His mental health history is being examined as part of the investigation.“We will constitute a medical board to examine his mental condition, but everyone we have spoken to said that he indeed has severe mental problems; he always carried a guitar with him even though he did not know how to play one,” said another official, adding that even during the interrogation the accused was mumbling and blabbering, barely able to generate a coherent response.Khan, a resident of Bada Vas, had come to Barodamev market to buy a motorcycle tyre. Police said he was passing in front of the police station after dropping a villager, Noor Mohammad, at a bank when Harsh allegedly approached him, pulled him off the motorcycle and attacked him with the stone.Khan was rushed to hospital but succumbed to his injuries.The killing triggered protests across the area, with Khan’s family and villagers gathering outside Alwar district hospital and Barodamev police station. Protesters allegedly scuffled with police and later blocked Alwar-Bharatpur road, causing long queues of vehicles.Police teams from Govindgarh, Bagad Tiraya, Ramgarh and Laxmangarh were deployed in Barodamev to control the situation. The protesters demanded suspension of the entire Barodamev police station staff and compensation for Khan’s family. Khan, who worked as a farmer, is survived by three children.
