Murder probe as man found dead in Blackburn street

The victim, named locally as Saheel Ahmed, was found in Little Harwood in the early hours of yesterday.

Last night police were still hunting for his killer and the murder weapon, thought to be a foot-long knife.

They are exploring several possibilities, one of which is that the murder could have been ‘honour related’.

Witnesses said Mr Ahmed, of Accrington Road, Blackburn, was apparently trying to flee his killer before he was caught in an alley at the top of Warrington Street.

Police were called following reports of a ‘disturbance’ and his body was found at around 2am.

Family and friends at Mr Ahmed’s family home were told of the news yesterday afternoon.

He is understood to have worked at BT in Blackburn town centre for the past two years and previously went to Norden High School in Rishton.

Mr Ahmed was also a regular at the Chester Street mosque, where he had led prayer sessions.

One eye witness said that he heard a commotion outside his home, with two men running at high speed through the street.

Speaking exclusively to the Lancashire Telegraph, the teenager, who asked to remain anonymous, said he heard Mr Ahmed’s last words, ‘please someone help me’, as he lay dying in the street.

The witness said: “I was watching television with my brother and I heard a lot of noise and shouting outside.

“This guy was running away down Laburnum Road, through Providence Street past my house.

“They were going so fast and the man being chased was screaming at the top of his voice.

“I just stayed in my house until it quietened down and then I went out to see what had happened.

“I saw the man lying in a huge pool of blood and he had a massive wound on his neck.

“He was still screaming and said to me ‘help me’. I knew he was dying and I rang the police and then he died in front of me.

"It was the most appalling thing that has ever happened to me.

“I’m personally very scared now. What if the killer saw me? I don’t want him to come back.”

He said he saw the man, who was dressed all in black, carrying a large knife in a case at least 12 inches long.

Detectives from the major incident room at Blackburn are now trying to piece together events leading up to Mr Ahmed's death.

Scenes of crime officers were taking photographs of the area and a search was completed of a nearby building site by more than a dozen officers.

A post-mortem examination to establish the cause of death was due to be carried out last night.

Detective Superintendent Neil Hunter, who is leading the investigation, said: "I have a dedicated team of detectives working on this case and it is imperative that we find the person responsible for this attack as soon as possible.

"Whilst this investigation is still in its early stages, it is fast moving and we are following up a number of lines of inquiry.

"The priority line of inquiry at the moment is to put together a picture of the victim’s last movements.

"We need the public's help and any amount of information, no matter how small or inconceivable it may seem, could be crucial to this investigation and help us find the person responsible for this crime.

"I would urge anybody in the Providence, Warrington and Beardsworth Street areas who may have seen or heard anything suspicious between 1.15am and 2.15am to contact police as a matter of urgency.

“I would also like to speak with anybody who may have any information at all about this incident."

Yesterday a friend of Mr Ahmed’s, who asked not to be named, said: “Everyone is in shock.

"His family cannot understand why anyone would want to kill him. He would always walk away from confrontation.

“He was a shy and softly-spoken person and straight as an arrow.

"He would go out of his way to help anyone and was a very well-respected young man.”

He added that Mr Ahmed was a Hafiz, having learnt the Koran off by heart.

Anybody with any information should contact police on 01254 51212 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.