A row over clearing construction waste from a building undergoing repairs took an ugly turn when a man overseeing the repairs was allegedly stabbed to death in Kalighat on Friday. The alleged killer is missing.
The victim, Soumen Ghara, 35, an employee of the building’s owner, who is a jeweller, was trying to pacify a neighbour complaining about the construction waste when he was stabbed.
Ghara is a resident of Udaynarayanpur in Howrah.
“Around 2.30 to 3pm on Friday, a man stabbed Soumen Ghara. He was taken to SSKM Hospital from 19 Beni Nandan Street where he was declared dead,” said joint commissioner (crime), Kolkata Police, Rupesh Kumar.
Eyewitnesses said the problem started when a small truck laden with the waste from the jeweller’s house-cum-manufacturing unit damaged the signboard of a roadside shop.
The shop owner picked a fight with the truck driver when Ghara tried to settle the dispute.
Sometime later, when the truck was about to move out, another neighbour, Ashesh Sarkar alias Piklu, a resident of Beni Nandan Street, started arguing with Ghara over the issue.
“As the argument went on, Sarkar flashed out a knife from his pocket and stabbed Ghara several times. Sarkar’s son tried to stop his father but failed,” said an officer.
Sarkar fled the spot.
Ghara was declared dead at SSKM Hospital.
The police have launched a search for Sarkar.
Beninandan Street is a congested lane off Bhowanipore dotted with old residential buildings.
Sarkar was yet to be traced till late on Friday.