International Shia News Agency

Muslim man is shot in Birmingham – hate crime says community

SHAFAQNA – A Muslim father of two was found dead with a single gunshot at the rear of his takeaway business in South Shields, Birmingham, as police said they were hunting for two killers on a motorbike.

“We are trying to establish the motive behind the incident and a full murder investigation is currently being carried out,” Northumbria Police South Tyneside Supt Sav Patsalos was quoted by the BBC.

“We believe that this has been an isolated incident and not a random shooting, enquiries are ongoing to establish this.

“Those responsible may have planned the incident in advance of carrying it out and if anyone has seen anything or anyone suspicious in the area at any time in the past few days, then I’d ask them to come forward and speak to us.”

Tipu Sultan, 32, was working at the family-run Herbs & Spice Kitchen in Lake Avenue, Marsden, South Shields, when they struck at around 10pm last night.

His father Amin Miah, 60, witnessed the shooting and closed the door on the gunman as he pointed the weapon at him.

“My dad called last night to say to come quickly to the takeaway. The back door of the takeaway was open and two lads on motorbike came,” Tipu’s sister Jubli Begum, 27, told Chronicle Live on Wednesday.

“My dad said one got off and had a gun, he pointed it towards my brother and said ‘you’ and shot the gun at his neck or side of head.”

Tipu’s uncle, Rukon Miah, 51, said: “After shooting Tipu, his dad closed the door on the man with the gun and him and the chef bolted it so they could not get in. The gunman tried to open the door but couldn’t.”

Tipu’s wife Julie Nasrin, 27, his son Ilyas, seven, and two-year-old daughter Aeysha are being comforted by family at their home in Gilsland Street, Sunderland.

According to the family, many of whom came from London to Birmingham after the incident, the wife and kids were still finding it hard to come to terms with the killing.

“Tipu’s wife still thinks he is coming home. They can’t see him because his body is in hospital. We can’t imagine how she feels,” Shaiful Mojumdar, 29, Tipu’s cousin, said.

“My nephew doesn’t even know as yet that his dad has died, he still thinks he is coming back.”

Justice

The murder of Tipu Sultan, a British Muslim originally from Bangladesh, was a shock to the family and neighbors as well, who mourned a respectable man.

“I saw a commotion out on the street, one of the lads from the curry house was outside,” Victoria Chisholm, from the nearby Lake Pub, told the BBC.

“I just thought it was a wind-up, stuff like that doesn’t happen round here. It shouldn’t happen.”

Speaking about the victim, she added: “He was an absolutely wonderful bloke, everybody round here loved him. He was a proper part of the community.

“He was just a wonderful bloke, I’m completely shocked.”

The victim’s family has also demanded quick justice and arrest of perpetrators.

“These guys sounded as though they knew what they were doing,” Shaiful, of London, said.

“We need to know who did this. They can’t be walking around as though nothing has happened, we need justice. We can’t understand why this has happened and we want people who know anything to call the police.

“He had no enemies or grudges, we can’t understand why this has happened.”

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