UK: Pakistani-origin man convicted of murdering Indian restaurant manager

London: A 25-year-old man of Pakistani heritage has been convicted of murdering an Indian restaurant manager with a stolen car while the victim was cycling back home in south-east England on Valentine’s Day this year.

Vignesh Pattabhiraman, 36, was killed by Shazeb Khalid with a “stolen Range Rover” while he cycling back from his workplace -- an Indian restaurant ‘Vel’ -- in Reading. The Indian man was declared dead at the Royal Berkshire Hospital and a murder investigation was launched. Khalid was arrested on February 19 and charged with murder the following day.

Khalid was on Wednesday found guilty of murdering Pattabhiraman following a trial at Reading Crown Court that lasted 28 days. He went on to plead guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter at an earlier hearing but was convicted of murder by the jury. Soiheem Hussain, 27, and Mya Reilly, 20, who were also arrested and charged in the case, also appeared during the same trial.

While Hussain was found guilty of assisting an offender, Reilly was found not guilty on the same charge. Khalid is set to be sentenced on October 10.

Thames Valley Police told the court that a post-mortem examination ascertained that Pattabhiraman had died due to a head injury following the collision.