A wrong number call spiralled into insults, a planned meeting and a sudden street clash that ended with two men dead in Lalitpur’s Mangalbazar last week.

What began as a simple misdial quickly turned into a fatal confrontation between two groups, escalating within minutes into knife violence that killed 33-year-old Sumit Nembang and his 25-year-old brother Sirjat Nembang, originally from Jhapa and currently residing in Lalitpur.

Police said the call by Sumit was intended for someone else but landed on Sanjeev Nepali’s phone after a wrong digit. The trouble began when the caller mentioned another person’s name.

“He insulted me, and I got angry,” Nepali told police. “I told him to dial properly and not just pick random numbers.”

The caller, Sumit Nembang, responded with verbal abuse. The argument escalated. Nepali became further agitated and asked where Nembang was.

Nembang said he was in Mangalbazar.

Nepali, who works at a meat shop, then picked up a sharp weapon and went to meet him. As they did not know each other, Nembang suggested meeting near the upper gate of the Krishna Temple, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati, chief of Lalitpur District Police Range.

“They agreed to meet there at around 7:30pm,” Bogati said.

Nembang arrived with his brother, Srijat. Nepali came with his friend, 22-year-old Gagan Sunar.

Police said the confrontation turned violent almost immediately.

“As soon as they arrived, a fight broke out,” Bogati said. “Stabbing began after one side showed a knife, followed by a physical clash.”

A video circulating online shows the Nembang brothers beating Nepali. Bystanders were present but did not step in.

“Everything happened so fast there was no time to intervene,” an investigator said. “It unfolded within about a minute.”

Police said the brothers initially beat Nepali severely. After being knocked down near the temple area, Nepal got back up and stabbed Sumit Nembang in the neck, police said.

As his brother was critically injured, Srijat Nembang also rushed in but was stabbed multiple times in the hand and abdomen, SSP Bogati said.

Police teams reached the scene and rushed both injured men to B&B Hospital, where doctors declared them dead at around 8:30pm.

Nepali fled the scene but was arrested shortly after. A police constable stationed at the Mangalbazar post, Shahan Bohara, tried to apprehend him but faced resistance.

“He even tried to attack the officer,” Bogati said. “He ran into a shop and was arrested there.”

Police praised Bohara for his role in the arrest, saying his action helped prevent further escalation.

Nepali was also injured and remains in custody under medical supervision while his statement is being recorded.

“We are examining all angles,” Bogati said.

Officials said the brutality of the attack over a minor dispute was unusual.

“We often see fights, but not this level of aggression,” he said.

Family sources said the Nembang brothers came from a British Army-linked background. Their grandfather served in the British Army, and their grandmother lives in the United Kingdom. The brothers were reportedly in the process of relocating there.

Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said recent homicide patterns show a rise in killings driven by personal disputes, revenge, family conflict and financial stress rather than organised crime.

Police data shows 522 killings in fiscal year 2024-25, down from 638 the previous year.

Officials said domestic violence, rape-related cases and dowry disputes remain key drivers in killings of women and girls. In other cases, minor disputes often turn deadly.

Officers said many killings now reflect psychological strain rather than structured criminal intent.

“Most recent cases stem from family and social tension,” one officer said. “Frustration is visible. Limited opportunities and unemployment are also factors.”

He added that such incidents should also be viewed through the lens of mental health and behavioural breakdown.

SSP Bogati said Nepali had a known aggressive temperament and had been questioned days earlier during a routine police operation in Lalitpur.

Further investigation is ongoing, police said.