An autopsy confirmed that a neck injury was the cause of death. (Representational)
London:
A 14-year-old boy arrested after the fatal attack on 80-year-old Bhim Kohli as he walked his dog in a park near the eastern English city of Leicester appeared in court on Thursday accused of murdering him.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons because he is a minor, appeared at Leicester Youth Court, where he was sitting at Leicester Magistrates' Court. He was one of five children aged between 12 and 14 who were arrested by Leicestershire Police following the death of Mr Kohli in hospital on Monday night, while the other four were previously released without further action.
Meanwhile, Kohli's family has released a statement through the police saying they are heartbroken and struggling to come to terms with the loss of a loving and caring person.
“Bhim was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He was also a son, brother and uncle. He loved his grandchildren with all his heart and enjoyed spending time with them. He was truly such a loving, caring person whose life revolved around his family,” the statement said.
“He was always a hardworking man and even at the age of 80 he was still very active. One of his great passions was his vegetable garden, he went there every day to tend his plots and took such pride in it. He also enjoyed walking the family dog Rocky in the park several times a day,” the statement said.
The family said Kohli “loved to laugh” and was always cheerful and talkative, the “joker of the family” who always outsmarted us with a smile.
“Our family have lived in the same house in Braunstone for 40 years so he was very well known in the community – we have been overwhelmed by the messages and support from so many who knew him. Our hearts are completely broken. We are now pulling together as a family to support each other through the most difficult time imaginable and ask for privacy while we do this,” the statement concluded.
A post-mortem examination carried out after the attack in Franklin Park in Braunstone Town on Sunday evening confirmed that neck injuries were the cause of death. Further tests will be carried out.
“The circumstances surrounding Mr Kohli’s death are extremely tragic and distressing, not only for his family and friends, but also for the community as a whole,” Detective Superintendent Emma Matts, chief investigator at Leicestershire Police, said earlier this week.
“We continue to support the family through our family liaison officers and local police teams are on the ground to provide reassurance and discuss any issues or concerns,” she added.
Now that a suspect has been charged in the case, further details are being withheld to avoid any intervention that could harm the murder trial.
Leicestershire Police had previously admitted there had been “previous police contact with the victim”. This initially led to a voluntary referral to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), but was upgraded to a mandatory referral following further contact with the watchdog.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by DailyExpertNews staff and is published via a syndicated feed.)
