The Indian police have arrested one Yasin Khan, a worker at a chicken shop in Bellahalli, Bagalur, for allegedly hacking a Nigerian national, Adiyako Masaliyo, to death.

The police said on Friday that the incident happened on Wednesday when a man claimed the 40-year-old Nigerian, who came to the store with his associate, was allegedly behaving suspiciously.

“We have registered a case of murder and arrested the accused,” the police said.

The man was said to have suspected that the 40-year-old Nigerian was a drug peddler who was there to hide the substances and share the location for buyers to come pick them up.

The accusation led to the interrogation of the victim by the shop worker and some locals, which led to a heated quarrel and fight.

Mr Khan allegedly assaulted Mr Masaliyo, who, in defence, grabbed a knife and threatened to stab. In response, the suspect reportedly slammed a reaper on the head of the victim, who thereafter sustained head injuries and collapsed, a senior police officer narrated.

The police, however, stated that when the suspect attempted to flee the scene, he fell on a stone and died on the spot.

The Hindu quoted sources as claiming that Mr Khan and witnesses at the shop accused the victim of being a drug peddler and that he assaulted the suspect.

The police admitted during the investigation that they found no drugs or suspicious items on the victim and that crime records showed he had no pending case. They said the investigation is still ongoing.