Knife-throwing prank in bar turns fatal, 25-year-old dies

Nagpur: A 25-year-old cashier was killed in a freak incident during a knife-throwing prank involving a colleague at a bar in Dharampeth on Thursday. The incident took place around 4pm at an establishment on West High Court Road under Sitabuldi police station jurisdiction.The victim, Avdhesh Kumar (25), a native of Lucknow who was residing in Hilltop area of the city, died after sustaining a single stab wound to the chest. Police have detained Ayush Sukhbir Singh Negi (24), a bar employee originally from Uttarakhand, in connection with the case. The two men were roommates and colleagues. Ayush's father is a doctor in Uttarakhand.According to preliminary investigations, the incident occurred while the two were allegedly joking with each other. Witnesses told police that Ayush threw a knife at Avdhesh in a playful manner, but it struck him just below the neck, causing him to collapse instantly. Sources said Avdhesh had initially tossed the knife at Ayush while it was still in its sheath, and when Ayush threw it back, the blade pierced Avdhesh's upper chest.Bar staff, including Ayush, rushed injured Avdhesh to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The incident stunned employees and regular patrons, who said the two shared a friendly relationship and frequently engaged in light-hearted banter.Sitabuldi police have registered a murder case against Ayush and taken him into custody. A forensic team examined the crime scene and recovered the weapon, while investigators are scrutinising CCTV footage from the bar to reconstruct the exact sequence of events.