A man who got engaged in a row over clearing rubbish from a building undergoing repairs was stabbed with a knife in public view at Kalighat here on Friday afternoon.
The man died while his killer fled the spot.
The man — a 35-year-old employee of a jeweller — was trying to pacify a neighbour who was complaining about the rubbish that had come out from the repairs and renovation of the jeweller’s house when the fight took an ugly turn.
The victim was Soumen Ghara, a resident of Udaynarayanpur in Howrah.
“Today (Friday) around 2.30 to 3pm, one person stabbed Soumen Ghara.
He was taken to SSKM Hospital with stab injury from 19, Beni Nandan Street, and declared dead there,” 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 hit a street-side shop and damaged its signboard while reversing.
The shop owner picked up a fight with the truck driver when Ghara, who was supervising the repair work, stepped out of the building to settle the dispute.
Sometime later, when the truck was about to move out of the location, another neighbour named Ashesh Sarkar alias Piklu, a resident of Beninandan Street started an argument complaining that dumping of rubbish had become a problem for the
local people.
“The argument soon turned into a war of words between Sarkar and Ghara. The latter called him names prompting him to take out a knife from his pocket. Before anyone could understand, Sarkar stabbed Ghara several times. Sarkar’s young son stepped into the fight and tried to stop his father but failed,” said an officer of Kalighat police station.
Sarkar fled the spot.
Ghara collapsed on the spot in a pool of blood. He was rushed to SSKM hospital where he was declared dead.
The police said a search had been launched for Sarkar, who was seen running barefoot through Beninandan Street while it was drizzling. CCTV footage has emerged that showed him running away. He was seen turning back again and again to check if anyone was following him.
Beninandan Street is a congested lane off Bhowanipore which is dotted with mostly old residential buildings.
Sarkar had yet to be arrested till Friday night.
A case has been started against him for alleged murder.
