Indian jailed for stabbing compatriot in Bahrain

Manama, July 10 (IANS) An Indian man has been jailed for a year in Bahrain for stabbing his compatriot in a row over laundry, a media report said Thursday.

The unidentified Indian, 34, stabbed his compatriot roommate in the abdomen during an argument over who would dry their clothes first in their accommodation in Manama last month, the Gulf Daily News reported.

The police then came and arrested the Indian labourer, while his roommate was taken to the hospital.

The victim survived after undergoing surgery at the Salmaniya Medical Complex in Manama.

Bahrain's Lower Criminal Court Wednesday convicted the man of assault and sentenced him to a 12-month jail term.

"The defendant did not plan to kill his victim and his victim did not receive a permanent injury, therefore, we find him guilty of assault and not attempted murder," the report quoted the court verdict documents.

The defendant said he "froze" when he realised what he had done and saw the Indian roommate's wound.

"We started shouting at each other because we both wanted to hang our clothes to dry," the labourer, in his statement to prosecutors, said.

"I got really angry that he wanted to dry his clothes first, even though it was my turn to do so."