Bhubaneswar, Aug. 19: At least seven employees of a real estate firm stabbed to death a 22-year-old MPharm student in Chintamaniswar this evening when he came to visit a friend.

The accused attacked Manmohan Pradhan, who hailed from Delang in Puri, with a sharp weapon on the suspicion that he and his friends had allegedly influenced the landlord, who had driven these seven men out of the house for causing disturbance at odd hours.

Pradhan’s friend Laxmi Narayan Rout, a native of Berhampur who also sustained injuries, said they were staying in a rented house at fishery lane near Chintamanishwar temple while the attackers were residing in an adjacent room.

“These people always consumed drugs and alcohol and created nuisance there. The house owner two days ago reprimanded them and asked them to leave the house. The employees of the builder firm thought we have complained against them to the landlord. Thus they manhandled me in the morning when I was alone,” said Rout adding that in the evening when they again attacked him in front of the house, Pradhan came to his rescue.

The attackers pierced a sharp weapon into Pradhan’s stomach.

Pradhan was declared brought dead at the Capital Hospital.