Ludhiana, Aug. 2 -- A dispute over two months' unpaid rent ended in bloodshed on Thursday night as a 25-year-old food cart vendor was brutally murdered in Haibowal. The victim, Ravi Verma, was attacked with sharp-edged weapons near a private hospital, allegedly by a neighbour following a rent-related feud. The accused, identified as Manish, lived in the same labour quarters as Ravi in Suncity Colony. According to the police, Ravi had been tasked by the landlord, Desraj, to collect monthly rent from fellow tenants. Manish, who shared a room with his wife, had reportedly defaulted on rent payments for the past two months, leading to frequent arguments between the two men, escalating tensions in recent days. "Manish had been evading rent and even misbehaved with Ravi on previous occasions," said Suman, the victim's wife. "On Thursday night, Manish called Ravi and said that he wanted to apologise, and insisted on meeting him. Ravi was hesitant, but eventually agreed." That was the last time Suman saw her husband alive. Hours later, Ravi was found murdered, his body bearing multiple wounds inflicted by sharp weapons. The police suspect that Manish did not act alone, and may have been assisted by others in carrying out the murder. The victim, the youngest of five siblings, had been married for just over a year and recently shifted to a new home with his pregnant wife. Sub-inspector Jasbir Singh, station house officer (SHO) at Haibowal police station, said a first information report (FIR) has been registered against Manish and unidentified accomplices under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. "Initial probe suggests the murder was the result of an ongoing dispute over rent. We are conducting raids and hope to arrest the accused soon," he added. Police are also investigating whether Manish acted alone or was assisted in the crime....