Teen Stabbed To Death By Friend After Fight In Kolkata Metro Station: Cops

17-year-old student was stabbed to death during a violent altercation with his friend at Dakshineswar Metro Station here on Friday afternoon, triggering panic among commuters and raising serious security concerns, a senior police officer said.

The victim, Manojit Yadav of Baranagar and a student of Bagbazar High School, reportedly got into an argument with a friend while waiting at the station, he said.

"As the situation heated up, another friend allegedly stabbed Manojit with a knife," the officer said.

Initial probe revealed that the victim, who regularly used the Metro along with his friends to return home, was taken to a hospital, but succumbed to his injuries on the way, the officer added.

The presence of a weapon inside a high-security Metro zone has sparked questions about lapses in passenger screening and surveillance.

Police have launched an investigation and are reviewing CCTV footage to identify how the assailant managed to bring a knife into the Metro premises.

Meanwhile, a Metro Railway spokesperson claimed the incident took place in "a non-ticketing area" near the Dakshineshwar temple end of the Metro entry gate and not on the platform or inside the turnstile gate.

Asked if the spot falls within the Metro Railway premises, he replied in the affirmative, but said it is not always humanly possible for RPF personnel to keep track of every individual's movement before the turnstile gate and on the rear of the ticket counter.

"We had informed the local police station immediately after the incident and were coordinating with the local administration," the spokesperson said.

He added there is a stringent security check at the turnstile gates with metal detectors, and anyone carrying arms won't be able to get past the security layer.

However, we are assessing and evaluating the existing security system, he added.

As the incident in the crowded station premises caused panic among the commuters who voiced their anxiety in social media, Metro Railway issued a statement in the evening assuring that there was no cause for worry.

"An unfortunate incident of alleged stabbing has taken place in the non-ticketing area of Dakshineswar Metro station. Metro authorities have immediately taken appropriate measures and police authorities are investigating the incident," the statement added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)