Domestic help murdered at late footballer PK Banerjee’s residence, police arrest driver
Telegraph | 16 March 2025
A male domestic help employed in the household of the late Indian football legend PK Banerjee was murdered on Friday night. The Bidhannagar South police station have arrested one Barun Ghosh, who was employed at the Padma Shri awardee’s residence as a driver.
According to the cops, Banerjee’s daughters Paula Banerjee, a former vice-chancellor of Sanskrit College and Purna Banerjee, a professor at the Presidency University’s English department live at the Salt Lake house.
Returning from a trip to Thailand, one of the daughters found cash missing from a bag that she had kept at her home.
On Friday morning, the cops had summoned Ghosh, the victim Gopinath and three other household staff for questioning.
“While at the police station, Ghosh kept accusing Gopinath of having stolen the money, to which Gopinath protested loudly. Those on duty intervened a number of times to stop the two from coming to blows,” said a senior police officer.
They were released after questioning. In the night, on the occasion of Holi the household helps sat for drinking when trouble broke out again.
Ghosh is alleged to have walked out of the room in a fit of rage and returned some minutes later with a sharp weapon and repeatedly struck Ghosh.
Others present called the cops and Ghosh was arrested. Gopinath’s corpse has been sent for post mortem. Ghosh will be produced in court later on Saturday.
The Bidhannagar police are also scanning CCTV footage and interviewing family members to gather more details.
A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act.
PK Banerjee was a former captain of the Indian football team and later served as its coach. He played 52 matches for India, scoring 16 goals in his international career. Banerjee passed away on March 20, 2020, at the age of 84.