Agency report
 
Dubai, March 26: An Indian worker has been sentenced to seven years in jail by a court in Dubai for stabbing to death a compatriot over repayment of a loan.

The Dubai Court of First Instance sentenced the construction worker, identified only as 'AS', to seven years in jail after prosecution charged him with murdering his colleague, identified as 'JF'.

He will be deported after serving his sentence.

Police heard that the victim borrowed around Rs 11,400 from the accused, but failed to pay it back on time.

When the accused went to claim the money, the victim said he could not pay it back, sparking an altercation.

A representative of the construction company intervened and stopped them from quarrelling at the workers' accommodation in Al Quoz and sent them back to their rooms.

Around noon, the accused went back to the victim's room where they reportedly resumed their quarrel during which the victim was stabbed repeatedly with a knife in his neck, chest and legs, according to a report.

The defendant said he did not intend to kill his colleague and acted in self-defence as the victim had held a knife at his face and grabbed his neck.

He also claimed the victim died as the ambulance arrived 45 minutes late.