A young Sri Lankan national, Arunesh Thangarajah, was fatally stabbed between Upper Green East and Montrose Gardens in Mitcham, South London on Sunday, the 20th. Arunesh was found with multiple stab wounds at 03:29 BST and died at the scene. Scotland Yard stated that a murder probe has been launched by detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command. The man's next of kin have been informed by the Police and a post-mortem examination will be arranged. A 44-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is presently in custody in a south London police station.
The Mayor of London said that he was in touch with the Metropolitan Police about the investigation. He added, "They will do everything they can to bring the perpetrator to justice. Mitcham and Morden MP Siobhain McDonagh offered her condolences to the victim's family and said she would attend the police meeting about the killing.
London has seen more than 60 murders within the first six months this year, of which more than half were stabbings. Before Arunesh's murder, last Tuesday, the Met's assistant commissioner had said that there were signs the spike in violence was "stabilising".
