Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Burnley family pays moving tribute to elderly member killed in road crash: 'A true gentleman with a heart of gold'

Mohammad Azam Khan, who had planned a pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia with family, suffered a serious head injury after getting hit by a van on the road on December 6 and passed away in a hospital two days later.

Burnley family pays moving tribute to elderly member killed in road crash: 'A true gentleman with a heart of gold'

The family of a 'true gentleman' with a 'heart of gold' who was killed in a road accident in Burnley earlier in December has paid him a moving tribute.

The tragedy happened at the junction of Colne Road and Hebrew Road around 12.45 pm on December 6. The man, identified as Mohammad Azam Khan from Burnley, suffered a skull fracture after he was hit by a van. The 68-year-old was taken to Royal Preston Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries two days later, LancsLive reported.


Khan's family described him as "an active community leader" who "will be dearly missed and loved by many". Khan and his family had made plans to visit Saudi Arabia for pilgrimage but destiny had other plans.

In a tribute, it said, "Mr Mohammad Azam Khan was a great person. He was known as a man with a heart of gold; always striving to help others to better themselves. He was an active community leader, working hard to aid the less fortunate. He was a true gentleman who always spoke softly with a delicate demeanour.

“Mr Khan and his family had made plans to perform the pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia. Unfortunately he was struck by a vehicle on Colne Road, which left him in a critical state. After a few days he sadly passed away from his injuries.

“If anyone witnessed the incident please come forward by assisting the police and to help our family. Our father will be dearly missed and loved by many. Please keep him in prayers.”

The police were looking into the matter and appealed to any person, who has information about the incident, to come forward.

Sgt Marc Glass from the Lancashire Roads Policing Team said, “These are awful circumstances and our thoughts very much remain with Mr Khan’s family at such a difficult and upsetting time.

“An investigation has been launched and we are continuing to appeal for information that can help us piece together what happened. Perhaps you have dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone footage of the collision, or perhaps you saw some or all of what happened. Whatever you know, please tell us.

Sgt Glass also requested that footage from the collision which has been shared on social media be deleted and not posted anywhere else saying it is extremely distressing for Khan's family and friends.

Anyone having information about the incident is requested to call 101 or email sciu@lancashire.police.uk quoting log 523 of December 6.

More For You

Indian man left without UK status after wife and daughter died in Air India crash

Among the 260 dead were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens, and one Canadian, including Sadikabanu and her daughter

Getty Images

Indian man left without UK status after wife and daughter died in Air India crash

Highlights

  • Air India Flight 171 crash in June 2025 killed 260 people, including Mohammad Shethwala’s wife and child.
  • Home Office rejected his humanitarian visa, saying no exceptional circumstances.
  • Critics condemned the decision, comparing it to the Windrush scandal.
Mohammad Shethwala came to the UK from India in March 2022 as a dependent on his wife Sadikabanu's student visa, while she pursued her studies at Ulster University's London campus.
The couple settled in the capital, and their daughter Fatima was born in Britain. Life was moving forward.
Sadikabanu had recently started a new job in Rugby and was preparing to apply for a Skilled Worker visa, a step that would have secured the family's future in the UK from 2026 onwards.

That future ended on 12 June 2025. The Ahmedabad-to-London Air India flight went down seconds after take-off, killing all 241 passengers and crew on board, as well as 19 people on the ground after the aircraft struck a medical college hostel building and caught fire.

Among the 260 dead were 169 Indian nationals, 53 British citizens and one Canadian. Sadikabanu and two-year-old Fatima were both on that flight.

Keep ReadingShow less