A state government employee posted at the Karigori Bhawan in Kolkata on Thursday allegedly stabbed his four colleagues with a knife in a fit of rage, the police said.  The man, identified as Amit Sarkar was arrested by Bidhannagar police.

According to sources in the police station all four persons were admitted to a nearby private hospital, where two of them are in critical condition.

Sarkar allegedly stabbed his colleagues because they “made jokes about his father,” said police, adding that the incident took place around 12.30 pm and an FIR has been filed against Sarkar at the station.  “Sarkar, a resident of Ghola in Sodepur, North 24 Parganas district, works in the technical education department,” a police officer said.

It was only after a traffic policeman “repeatedly requested” him to throw the knife, did Sarkar let go of the sharp weapon, police said.  “After the arrest, Sarkar said his four colleagues joked about his father and so he attacked them. We are verifying the cause of the incident,” he added.

The police said, “After a preliminary inquiry, we came to know Sarkar was angry as he had not gotten any leave for several days. Even when his mother was unwell, he had appealed for leave, but that request was declined. We will question his higher officials.”

The injured have been identified as Joydev Chakraborty, Sheikh Shatabul, Shantanu Saha and Sartha Let.   —WITH PTI