A MAN has been arrested on suspicion of murder after an elderly member of Huddersfield’s Sikh community was fatally injured at his own home.
Police swooped on a house at Alder Street, Fartown, on Friday evening following a report that a 75-year-old man had been injured in a domestic disturbance.
On arrival they found the man – named locally as Tarsam Singh – collapsed on the driveway in front of his property.
He was taken to Huddersfield Royal Infirmary but he was pronounced dead a short time later.
A 32-year-old man was arrested at the scene and remains in police custody. He was still being interviewed by detectives yesterday.
On Saturday morning the property was sealed off with police tape and guarded by several officers.
Police also closed the road between Red Doles Lane and Abbey Road.
Bloodstained rags and yellow forensic markers could be seen near to the edge of the driveway of the home.
A silver Mercedes C-class remained parked on the driveway.
Fartown Sikh Temple spokesman Manjit Singh paid tribute to the victim and said he was a great loss to the community.
Manjit said Mr Singh had come to Huddersfield from the Punjab area of India in the 1960s and had worked in mills.
It is thought he had a wife and son living with him and three daughters who have married and moved away.
“It’s a great loss,’’ he said. “He served the temple for over 10 years as treasurer and registrar.
“He was a jolly fellow. He got along with anybody and never had any disputes with anyone.
“He always walked away from disputes.
“He served with me when I was president and treasurer and he helped to fundraise for the new building in 1997.”
NEIGHBOURS told how the murder had rocked their community.
The residents, who gathered in the street on Saturday morning, said police arrived at about 8.30pm the previous evening and sealed the area off with a van.
They said Tarsam Singh – a long-serving official at the nearby Sikh temple in Fartown – had staggered out of his home only minutes after approaching them for help.
Baljit Sangha, 25, who lives opposite the scene with her parents, said Mr Singh had called at their house with a bloody nose and asked them to call the police.
She said: "His face was covered in blood and he was bleeding from his nose.
"I let him in and my mum and dad gave him a tissue and asked him to lie down. He came in but he didn’t sit down.
"He went back out to his house and two minutes later he walked back out and collapsed.
"I ran across the road and the Polish guys who live next to him jumped the fence.
"They tried to resuscitate him and were checking his heartbeat and then the police arrived and they took over.
"It was really bad. He was pretty much covered in blood.
"It’s awful to see somebody like that. He was such a good guy, a really good neighbour and a very pleasant man.
"He’s somebody I’ve known all my life."
Baljit’s father, Lakvir, added: "It’s a tragedy the way it has happened. It’s very sad."
One neighbour, who did not want to be named, said following the incident she saw officers going in and out of people’s gardens.
Another said: "If you live in this street nothing shocks you."
A third Alder Street resident, said he had lived on the street for 50 years and had seen it slowly decline.
He said: "Obviously you don’t want a murder on your doorstep, but I do feel community spirit has gone downhill.’’
