The recent surge in violent incidents has deeply affected the British Indian community and underscored the urgent need for collaborative efforts between the government, law enforcement, and the community to address the issue of knife crime in the UK. It is a time for collective action and finding effective solutions to tackle this growing problem.
Most international students who visit the UK rely on the internet or the primary guidance provided by their respective university websites pointing to the kind of type of accommodation they can choose to procure on their arrival or sometimes before. Some international students who cannot afford expensive accommodation on the campus, choose to stay in flatshare and studio apartments.
It’s all a leap of faith as long as the rent doesn’t burn the pocket. In the hustle of locking a roof over their head, students naively do not necessarily vet the property or the flatmates’ backgrounds and criminal records. This raises the question and concern for international students who have little knowledge of the country and its whereabouts to rely on fate while the police try to combat multiple crimes in this surge of knife attacks in the UK.
Resonating with what Grace Kumar’s (Nottingham knife attack victim) parents said at the vigil organised in the memory of their daughter, loving and befriending people in such times holds more importance than we believe. In a world where every individual, family and community has its own issues to cope with, perhaps the feeling of sisterhood, community living and initiatives within communities might bring more help and relief from such traumatic incidents while police continues to hold citizens accountable for their own safety in such unforeseen moments. This is where universities and communities that can otherwise not do much to assure a person’s safety can help in community building and initiatives that might prepare and alert students and young people to brace themselves for such mishaps and come out alive.
Reacting to the recent criminal incidents, NISAU UK Chairperson Sanam Arora told the newsweekly, “It is extremely important, and especially more so considering the recent horrifying cases of crime against Indian students to be extra cautious and safe. Finding safe accommodation can be a difficult task and must only be done through safe means. In the first instance please rely only on authorised contacts provided by your university or approved organisations that specialise in providing quality and safe accommodation. Students are invited to join our ASKNISAU session on 25 June at 2 pm UK time where current students, alumni and experts from the accommodation provider University Living will discuss this topic in detail.”
When Asian Voice reached out for comment in light of the recent criminal offences to the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC), the press office expressed that this is “Quite a large topic and not something that would be solely for police to comment on” but the police does provide safety advice in terms of helping people avoid falling victim to crime and pointed us towards Met Police’s website that has enough literature and guides for personal safety. They also encourage citizens to visit the www.police.uk website which also has plenty of safety advice from a policing perspective. Advice for international students is also available if they contact UK Council for International Student Affairs.
Indian-origin doctor’s daughter killed in Nottingham knife attack
Grace O'Malley Kumar, a 19-year-old Indian-origin medical student, was identified as one of the three victims in a series of shocking knife attacks that took place in Nottingham, UK. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, where Grace and her friend Barnaby Webber, both students at the University of Nottingham, were fatally stabbed by an unidentified assailant. Tributes have been pouring in for Grace, with her family describing her as a wonderful and beautiful young lady who brought immense joy to their lives. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed condolences for the victims and praised the emergency services' response to the incident.
A talented athlete who played hockey at the underage level for England, Kumar belonged to a family of doctors – her father, London-based Dr Sanjoy Kumar, has been a General Practitioner for over 20 years. He is being dubbed a “hero” doctor who saved the lives of some teenage stab victims in his local surgery back in 2009. He was made a member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his selfless work in saving three lives.
On her mother’s side, too, Grace belonged to a high-profile family of doctors. Her mother Sinead O’Malley is a London-based anaesthetist, while her grandfather was the former head of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI).
“Grace was an adored daughter and sister; she was a truly wonderful and beautiful young lady,” Kumar’s family said in a statement.
“Grace was not just a sister to James but his best friend. He is completely heartbroken. As parents, words cannot explain our complete and utter devastation. She will be so dearly missed. We were so incredibly proud of Grace’s achievements and what a truly lovely person she was. She was resilient and wise beyond her years,” they said.
Speaking at a vigil held in honour of the victims, Dr Sanjoy Kumar said: “Grace and her friend, they fell together. You just need to be friends with everyone and you need to love everyone. Everyone who is here, I really thank you for being here and taking the time. She loved all of you, she really did. You all touched her lives and ours.”
Wembley stabbing victim was going to get married this year
While the community was processing this grief, Tejaswini Reddy, a young Indian woman tragically lost her life in a stabbing incident in North London. The 27-year-old was pursuing her Master's degree in computer science at Greenwich University in the UK. She resided in Neeld Crescent, Wembley, where she was fatally stabbed by a Brazilian man. Tejaswini had shared her excitement with her parents about her plans to marry this year after returning to India from the UK. According to her parents, she had even resigned from her temporary job, intending to return to India within a month after finalising the match. The Metropolitan Police have confirmed the arrest of two men, including a 23-year-old Brazilian national named Kevin Antonio Lourenco De Morais. Tejaswini's friend Akhila was also injured in the incident but is reported to be in stable condition after receiving medical attention. Tejaswini's uncle has appealed to the government to make necessary arrangements for repatriating her body from the UK to Hyderabad, allowing her family to bid a final farewell.
Kerala man stabbed to death in London
In another unfortunate incident involving the stabbing of an Indian individual in the UK, a man from Kerala was tragically killed in Camberwell, London, by a fellow countryman in the early hours of Friday. This marked the third incident of a person of Indian origin being fatally stabbed in Britain within the same week. According to reports, Metropolitan Police arrested 25-year-old Salman Salim, also from Kerala, on Saturday in connection with the alleged murder of 37-year-old Aravind Sasikumar. Both individuals were flatmates residing in a shared house on Southampton Way in Camberwell. Salman Salim, the 25-year-old suspect, was brought before the Croydon Magistrates' Court on Saturday and subsequently remanded in custody. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 20.
The incident took place on Friday when Sasikumar, a native of Panampilly Nagar in Kerala, was discovered with stab wounds outside a residential address on Southampton Way. It is reported that the stabbing occurred following a dispute between Sasikumar and his roommate at the house they shared with three others in Peckham, Southeast London. The police were notified and arrived at 1:30 am, but unfortunately, Sasikumar succumbed to his injuries at the scene. A post-mortem examination revealed that the cause of death was stab wounds to the chest.
Friends of India Soc Intl UK tweeted, “It's devastating to learn about a third incident of a stabbing targeting an Indian-origin person. Such tragic incidents are a grim reminder of the violence plaguing our society here & that needs to be dealt with -thoughts & condolences with the victim's family.”
In seeking justice for the dead, and providing more security measures for the citizens, as crime continues to unfold in front of our eyes and grim instances, there surely needs to be a solid plan of action that must arise from the judicial system. Or else we’ll keep losing our people.
Remember, Grace Kumar, was described as a talented hockey and cricket player. She had aspirations of becoming a doctor like her father and had represented England in the under-18s hockey team. Wembley-based Tejwasni was going to get married this year. All gone and it wasn’t their fault.
