LONDON: Scotland Yard detectives on Thursday renewed the offer of a 20,000 pounds reward as they appeal for information in the murder inquiry into the death of an Indian-origin man, who died following a brutal assault by eight men in west London nearly 17 years ago.
Rajesh Raj' Verma suffered severe brain damage in the attack at Acton Park in August 2003 and the 42-year-old went on to be treated in hospital before being discharged.
However, he was left with a number of ongoing health issues due to the damage caused to his brain by a stab wound to his head with a set of garden shears and he later died in May 2018, nearly 15 years after the assault.
In March this year, the Metropolitan Police had initiated a murder investigation following the death of the father-of-two and on Thursday returned to the area to distribute leaflets seeking any leads in the case.
The attack on Raj involved ferocious violence by a group of men, one of whom, stabbed him in the head with a set of garden shears found near the crime scene, said Met Police Detective Chief Inspector Vicky Tunstall.
We believe Raj was attacked after he intervened in a dispute between one of his friends and another individual.
"The suspects are believed to be local to the Acton area and are likely to still be living there or have links to the area. All were described as being of East African appearance, she said.
A police investigation was carried out in 2003 but no suspect was arrested or charged.
This is a shocking crime and I'm in no doubt that people will have chatted and boasted about it. I need your call to identify Raj's killer and that's why we are offering a reward of 20,000 pounds for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
"Raj's family have not had any justice and we are committed to solving this murder, added Tunstall.
In 2015, Verma had a major heart attack, which resulted in a lack of oxygen to his brain that further complicated the existing damage.
This rendered him unresponsive and unable to move or speak for the last 18 months of his life.
Raj also suffered from epilepsy as a result of the stab wound and broke his hip in 2017 during a fitting episode.
He died on May 27, 2018.
Raj's wife, Roma Verma, said the aftermath of the attack had a huge impact on the family.
Our children were 11 and 13 when their lives were turned upside down. We chose to care for him at home in the way that he had cared for all of us. Each member of the family helped to care for him, she said in a statement.
She recalled how her late husband was unable to think, move, talk or walk, but the family still felt he could feel their presence and persevered.
He required 24-hour assistance and the family said they watched him in the same position "day after day".
She added: "Life was all about him, but we all had hope. The assault 15 years before was random and unexpected. His assault left a huge gap in our hearts and continues to do so.
"His generosity and love for fellow humans did not deserve this. He was protective of the family but also of the vulnerable.
He was a very popular man in Acton. Hundreds paid their respects at his funeral. There were friends and family but also homeless people, and local business people who he had helped tirelessly.
A special post-mortem took place in June 2018 and a pathologist concluded there was a causal link between the assault in 2003 and Verma's subsequent death two years ago.
A verdict of unlawful killing was recorded at an inquest held at West London Coroners Court on 28 November 2019.
The case has now been classified as a murder investigation and enquiries are being carried out by homicide detectives from the Met Police's Specialist Crime Command.