A man who allegedly stole a smartphone from a house in Chevella was killed by two robbers who fled with the device following an argument at the Chevella bus stand late on Wednesday (October 7).

The victim, who is yet to be identified, had reportedly alighted from a city bus and stayed back at the bus stand after services ended for the night.

According to Chevella Inspector K. Narender Reddy, the robbers, identified as Krishna and Sai, both daily wage labourers, approached the man and struck up a conversation before taking him to a secluded area within the bus stand premises.

The robbers were reportedly under the influence of alcohol, and an argument broke out between them. Police said the suspects and the victim were seen in CC cameras arguing for nearly an hour before the confrontation turned violent.

During the altercation, the suspects allegedly attacked the man with an old wooden chair, killing him, and fled with his mobile phone.

The incident came to light early on Thursday when Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) employees arrived for duty and noticed the body. They alerted the police, who reached the spot, examined the scene and shifted the body to a government hospital for post-mortem examination.

During the investigation, police found that the mobile phone taken by the suspects had itself been stolen earlier. The phone belonged to Jai Singh, a watchman residing in Chevella, who told investigators that he had left it charging at his house before it went missing.

Police suspect that the victim had stolen the phone before arriving at the bus stand, although his identity and involvement in the theft are yet to be established.

Investigators are circulating the victim’s photograph to establish his identity. Further investigation is underway.