Domestic help murdered at late footballer PK Banerjee’s home in Salt Lake over money spat
Telegraph | 16 March 2025
A domestic help who stayed at late footballer Pradip Kumar (PK) Banerjee’s house in Salt Lake’s GB block was murdered on Friday night.
Police said Gopinath Muhuri, in his late thirties, succumbed to multiple stab injuries in his abdomen and chest. The family’s driver, Barun Ghosh, in his forties, has been arrested for allegedly murdering Gopinath.
On Saturday, a Bidhannagar court remanded him in police custody.
“Primarily, it appears there was a heated discussion between the two on Friday night over money that went missing from one of the two daughters of P.K. Banerjee. Gopinath and Barun kept blaming each other over a drink,” a senior officer of the Bidhanagar police commissionerate said under cover of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak on the issue.
“During the altercation, Barun allegedly stabbed the victim, and he succumbed to the injuries.”
Since March 2020, when Banerjee — popularly known as PK — passed away, his two daughters have been regular visitors to the Salt Lake house. A team of domestic help stays in the house and so does Barun, the family’s driver, the police said.
Investigators have learnt that one of PK’s daughters recently returned from a trip abroad and said ₹5,000 was missing from her purse. She asked the domestic staff and the driver if anyone knew about the money and did not hide her disappointment over being unable to trace it, an officer said.
“We have learnt that on Friday night, a few of the family’s helps and Barun came together to share a drink on the ground floor balcony of the house. After some time, a blame game began, with Barun and Gopinath accusing each other of lifting the money,” the officer said.
In the middle of the altercation, Gopinath allegedly rushed to the ground-floor kitchen and returned with a knife. “He attacked Barun. The driver ducked and managed to save himself. Barun then overpowered Gopinath, snatched the knife and stabbed Gopinath several times in his abdomen,” the officer said.
Some of those present took Gopinath to the Bidhannagar State General Hospital, where he died.
A team of officers from the Bidhannagar South police station arrested Barun on Saturday morning.
The murder spot, the balcony leading to the main entrance of the house on the ground floor with a shoe rack placed on the right, has been cordoned to help forensic experts collect evidence. On Saturday, a car remained parked in the parking lot of the three-storey house.
The police said they would scan footage from CCTV of the house and the ones on the road leading to it and also speak to the family members. But before that, they said, they wanted to interrogate Barun to find out if his action was the result of just a fit of anger during a heated altercation or if there was something more to it.
Barun denied stealing any cash.
“I have not stolen any money,” he said on his way to the court.
“Gopinath attacked me with a knife and kept abusing me. I never used to visit the upper floors of the house.”
A resident of Asansol, Gopnath’s family members said he has been serving the Banerjees for over a decade and remained one of the trusted hands.
“Everyone in the family used to trust my uncle blindly. We can’t believe he was murdered at the house where he has been staying for over a decade,” said Tanushree Ghosh, Gopinath’s niece.
No one from the family could be reached for comment.
PK, who won an Asian Games gold as a player, is among the greatest footballers to have turned out for India.