Pinewood trader murdered at Jorasanko

A 75-year-old businessman was murdered at his place in Jorasanko. His body was found in his room on Sunday morning and had several injury marks including a slit throat. Police are yet to ascertain the exact reason behind the murder, but suspect that an old rivalry or property related dispute with his step brothers could have led to the crime.

Police said that victim Khurshid Alam, originally a resident of Dharbhanga in Bihar, was staying in this house situated on Balai Dutta Street at Jorasanko from many years. He was a pine wood trader.

On Sunday morning a local went to his house for business related issue and found his body lying on the bed. There were blood stains all over the floor. He rushed out of the room and informed the local people and police about the incident. Policeman of the Jorasanko Police station reached the spot and sent the body for an autopsy.

Akhilesh Chaturbedi, deputy Commissioner of Central Division, visited the spot and officers from the homicide squad of police detective department also inspected the place.

According to a police officer, it was a pre-planned murder as the investigating officers found a cloth with blood stains on it. They suspect that the accused had either cleaned his hands using that cloth or cleaned the murder weapon, which was not found. The old businessman has four sons. He used to live at Jorasanko with his youngest son Md Ali who went on a trip to Darjeeling a few days ago. Two of his sons stay at Narkeldanaga and one at Shibpur in Howrah.

A police officer said: “This makes it clear that the accused was well known to Alam and was aware that he will be all alone in the house”. He further added: “The house is situated in a congested area. How could this happen that no one could hear victim’s cry for help? It seems that the accused first strangulated him by covering his face with a pillow and later slit his throat”. The police are eagerly waiting for the post-mortem report.