Knife crime probe ordered as latest victim named

A MAN stabbed to death in south London last Sunday (20) has been named by police.

Arunesh Thangarajah, 28, was found with fatal stab wounds between Upper Green East and Montrose Gardens in Mitcham in the early hours of Sunday. Despite the efforts by para­medics and police, he later died at the scene.

Manimaran Selliah, 44, has been charged with Thangarajah’s murder. As Eastern Eye went to press, he was expected to appear at Wimbledon magistrates court on Tuesday (22).

London mayor Sadiq Khan confirmed he was in touch with the Metropolitan Police about the investigation and said they would do everything they could to bring the perpetrator to justice. “My thoughts are with the victim’s family,” Khan added.

It is understood Thangarajah is the 65th person to be murdered in the capital since the start of 2018.

The spike in knife crime has led to outrage across the country, with an urgent investiga­tion into the recent surge in violent crime be­ing launched by members of the London As­sembly earlier this month.

The Met Police assistant commissioner Hel­en Ball said last Tuesday (15) that murder rates in April and May were lower than in February and March, which led to hopes that the violent crimes rates were “stabilising”.

“It looks as if… the increase of this crime type is stabilising. Morale is high because we are starting to see some results,” Ball said.