A senior detective has urged a community to "stand up" and provide vital information to bring a married man's murderer to justice.
Shoaib Khan, 31, an unemployed gardener, was stabbed to death in East Squire Lane, off Carlisle Road, Bradford, in May this year when a car he was in was ambushed by up to seven men.
An inquest into his death was opened and adjourned in Bradford yesterday.
Police believe that a feud between two groups of Asian men escalated into what Detective Chief Inspector John Gilbody described as an "horrendous" attack.
A 27-year-old man, who was one of two other men in a dark blue Volkswagen Golf, also suffered stab wounds in the violence.
To date 17 people have been arrested and questioned in connection with the incident. All have been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
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Det Chief Insp John Gilbody said yesterday: "The investigation is still very much alive.
"It was an absolutely horrendous attack which needlessly took the life of a young man. What happened that evening was not deserved by anyone and never could be."
He urged anybody who saw the attack or has any information to come forward.
"If people are scared to come forward they should know that we welcome any information that comes to us anonymously and I can assure them anything they tell us will be treated with the utmost confidence," he said. "The community needs to stand up against individuals who are prepared to put people through things like this."
Det Chief Insp Gilbody revealed that police had some active lines of inquiry from information already received from members of the public.
He said: "A number of people have already come forward and we're following some leads up.
"We encourage people to come forward and help us to get justice for those responsible for this attack."
At the inquest it was heard that two separate post-mortem examinations had confirmed that Mr Khan died of a single stab wound to the chest.
Bradford Coroner Roger Whittaker released Mr Khan's body to allow his funeral to take place at Scholemoor Cemetery yesterday afternoon.
He adjourned the inquest pending the completion of the police investigation.
Mr Khan lived in Sheffield at the time of his death but he had had strong family links to Bradford, including seven brothers and two sisters.
Anyone with information about the murder should contact police on (01274) 373618, or by text to 07786 200806, starting with the word Manningham.' They can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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