A trivial argument over just six eggs at a supermarket in Kerala's Malappuram district spiralled into a fatal assault, leaving one man dead and another under arrest. Police say 52-year-old Faisal died from a severe head injury he suffered during a scuffle outside a shop, and 33-year-old Latheef has since been taken into custody in connection with his death.
A dispute born out of only six eggs
The incident unfolded in the Munniyur area near Tirurangadi in Malappuram district. At around 9:45 pm on July 6, Faisal and Latheef arrived at a supermarket almost simultaneously, both looking to buy five eggs each. The shop, however, had only six eggs left in stock, a shortfall that set off the entire chain of events that followed.
One customer agreed to share, the other refused
Faced with two customers each demanding five eggs, the shopkeeper tried to defuse the situation by proposing a compromise, splitting the six eggs evenly at three each. Latheef accepted the offer without hesitation. Faisal, however, flatly refused and insisted that he alone should get five eggs. To avoid further trouble, the shopkeeper eventually sold all five eggs to Latheef.
An egg thrown in anger turned into a physical fight
As Latheef was preparing to leave the shop with his purchase, Faisal grew furious, and a heated argument broke out between the two men. According to police, Faisal picked up an egg he was holding and hurled it at Latheef in anger, striking him directly in the face. The egg hitting his face reportedly enraged Latheef further, and police say he then allegedly grabbed Faisal by the chest and shoved him hard.
A fall, a severe head injury, and death days later
The push sent Faisal stumbling backward, and he fell to the ground, the back of his head striking the pavement along the roadside with considerable force. He suffered a serious head injury as a result. Bystanders and family members rushed him to a nearby hospital immediately after the fall, where doctors administered first aid and discharged him the same day. His condition, however, began deteriorating again a few days later. On July 9, Faisal started experiencing severe headaches along with other physical complications, prompting his admission to a private hospital in Kottakkal. He remained under treatment in the ICU for several days, but doctors could not save him, and he died on July 13 while still undergoing treatment. Police confirmed that the cause of death was the severe head injury sustained in the fall.
Police make an arrest after intensifying the probe
Following Faisal's death, Tirurangadi police stepped up their investigation into the case. Based on the sequence of events established during the inquiry, police arrested 33-year-old Latheef. What began as a dispute over the division of just six eggs ultimately ended in a death, leaving residents of the area shaken.
