The Barrackpore community is reeling from the tragic shooting of 34-year-old coconut vendor Michael Seeraj, who was gunned down on October 23 while disposing of coconut shells with a worker. The incident occurred around 7:35 pm on Project Road, Ramsabad Trace, Rochard Road, Barrackpore, a location Seeraj frequented for this purpose. According to the worker, he fled the scene upon hearing multiple gunshots. Police arrived to find Seeraj unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his shoulder. He was pronounced dead at the scene by a district medical officer, and an autopsy has been ordered. Investigators discovered $2,300 in Seeraj’s pocket, but the motive behind the killing remains unclear. Homicide Region Three is actively investigating the case. Seeraj’s wife, Resha Ramdeo, 36, expressed her shock and grief, stating that she could not fathom why anyone would target her husband. Described as a hardworking and quiet man, Seeraj had turned to selling coconuts after losing his job in the scrap-iron industry in August 2022. He was in the process of building a home for his family in Pancham Trace. The community remembers him as a devoted father who frequently visited his six-year-old daughter, the ‘light of his life.’ The family is awaiting the autopsy results, expected early next week, before proceeding with funeral arrangements.