New Delhi, Aug 26 (IANS): A doctor working with the city's St. Stephen's Hospital was stabbed to death and his throat slit by a former colleague within the hospital premises in north Delhi over personal animosity, police said on Friday.

Police said the accused, identified as Suyesh Gupta, went missing after killing his friend, deceased Sashwat Pandey, 26, in the Radiology Department of the hospital. A manhunt is on to nab the killer doctor.

The incident came to light when the body of Pandey, 26, hailing from Allahabad, was found lying in a pool of blood by senior doctors and police late on Thursday night in the X-ray Department of the hospital.

"With the help of biometric record, we discovered that around 1.00 a.m Gupta had entered Pandey's room in the Radiology Department. When a staff-member went to take signature of Pandey at the department, he found the door was locked from outside. He got suspicious as the door is never locked from outside during duty hours," Deputy Commissioner of Police Jatin Narwal said.

"The hospital administration informed police and they jointly broke open the door. The body of Pandey was found inside the department with surgical blade injuries on his chest, face and neck," Narwal said.

"Gupta and Pandey were friends and worked in the same department in the hospital, but Gupta was later sacked by the management over some irregularities four months ago. Gupta stays with his mother in Sabzi Mandi area. His car with its seat with blood stains was recovered from Anand Vihar area," the officer added.

"They later turned foes owing to some personal issue, following which Gupta killed Pandey. The exact reason for killing Pandey can be ascertained only after his arrest," he said.

Pandey did his MBBS from Manipal University in Karnataka and took admission in 2015 at the St. Stephen's Hospital's college. Gupta is a native of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh.