A petty dispute over a cigarette led to death of a shop owner at Veerulapadu village in Krishna district today.
Veerulapadu police sub-inspector I Avinash told PTI that an agricultural labourer namely A Sudhakar bought a cigarette from a shop.
However, after shop owner B Narasimha Rao (70) demanded money for the cigarette, Sudhakar said that he did not have any money, he said.
After a heated verbal duel, the accused Sudhakar thrashed the shop owner to death and fled the scene, he said.
The Veerulapadu police has registered a case and investigation is on, he said.
