A 30-year-old vegetable hawker was beheaded allegedly by a man after an altercation at Kendrapara in Belpahari area of West Midnapore district today.
Buddheswar Pal got agitated after a quarrel with the hawker and beheaded him with a sharp weapon in full public view this afternoon, a senior police offer said.
Soon Pal ran into a forest carrying with him the severed head of the hawker, he said.
Police recovered the torso and efforts were on to nab Pal.