A row about taxis may have sparked the disturbance that left a man fatally injured in Dundee city centre on New Year’s Day.
A police probe into the unexplained death of the man entered its second day on Wednesday and a stretch of road in the city’s Nethergate area was still sealed off, more than 24 hours after emergency services were called to the scene following reports of a large scale disturbance.
Police were called to the scene around 1.15am and discovered the injured man, who was rushed to Ninewells Hospital for treatment.
But the man, who still had not been identified, died in hospital later on New Year’s Day.
Witnesses have claimed the disturbance was triggered by an argument in the queue for taxis shortly after the bells.
One said a group of three people – two men and woman – had assaulted several people in the taxi queue and then attacked the man when he tried to intervene.
One taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said: “I’ve been told that a row kicked off at the front of the queue – there were a couple of groups involved.
“It looked like the usual thing – people arguing over who was first – and this guy got caught in the middle of it.”
Another driver added: “It isn’t clear if the guy who died was with any of the people who were arguing or if he just got caught up in the disturbance.”
However, police have only said they are treating the death as “unexplained”.
The victim is described as a white man in his 40s or 50s with short ginger hair.
He was wearing a two-tone light and dark blue Berghaus rain jacked, faded denim jeans and dark brown shoes along with a distinctive silver Cartier watch with gold studs.
He is known to have arrived at the scene of the incident from the area of Whitehall Crescent and Union Street.
Detective Inspector Ross Fitzgerald said: “I would urge anyone with information which could help identify this man who has sadly died to contact Police Scotland as soon as possible.
“Our enquiries continue into the incident itself and I could also ask anyone who witnessed a disturbance in the Nethergate area or who has any other information which could assist the police investigation to come forward if you haven’t already spoken to an officer.”
