What with all the war, division, hate, and general unpleasantness occurring in the world at the moment, it feels like we’re gradually being plunged into the depths of Hell itself — and that’s never felt like a more appropriate description than this story about an 80-year-old man being murdered by a gang of children in England.
The attack occurred near the entrance of Franklin Park in Braunstone Town, Leicestershire, on the evening of Sunday, Sep. 1, 2024, and the victim was Bhim Kohli, a Punjab-born British Indian. It’s one of the most shocking true crime stories to come out of the United Kingdom in some time, which is saying something in our depressing times.
Kholi was walking his dog when he was set upon by a group of youths, comprising a boy and a girl aged 14 and another boy and two girls aged 12. Police have described the incident, saying the victim had been near the park’s Bramble Way entrance at approximately 18:30 BST when the youngsters seriously assaulted him, then fled the scene before emergency services arrived.
As per Leicester Police, Kohli died a day later on Monday, Sep. 2, with the initial post-mortem examination discovering his death was a result of a neck injury, with further tests scheduled to take place.
Countless people have spoken out about Kohli since his tragic passing, with his daughter, who has not been named, saying her father had been “kicked in the neck, kicked in the spine” while he was only “30 seconds away from getting home“.
The BBC received a collective statement from his family. It read, “Our hearts have been completely broken. Bhim was a loving husband, dad, and grandad. He was also a son, brother, and uncle. He adored his grandkids with all his heart and loved spending time with them. He was such a loving, caring person whose life was centered around his family. He has always been a very hardworking man, and even at the age of 80, he was still very active.”
Kohli’s neighbor, Deep Kalia, said, “His family is devastated. He was a skinny, fit man who was always at the allotment across the road from his house. He has two boys and a daughter, all grown up, and two grandsons. He had a factory in Leicester making jumpers and cardigans but retired many years ago. It’s tragic what happened.”
Several floral tributes have been laid at the scene of the attack. But what’s happened to Kohli’s attackers?
What happened to the children who attacked Bhim Kohli?
As The Standard says, all five members of the group were initially arrested on suspicion of murder, but four of them were released with no further action.
A 14-year-old boy — who can’t be named for legal reasons due to his age — remains in custody and has already appeared in court charged with Kohli’s murder. What happens to the youngster remains to be seen, but if he’s found guilty, let’s hope he’s served adequate justice.