Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Unsolved murder: Mystery continues to shroud Surjit Takhar's death years after he was found dead

Remains of Takhar were discovered by road workers near Shifnal in Shropshire in 2015.

Unsolved murder: Mystery continues to shroud Surjit Takhar's death years after he was found dead

It has been eight years since delivery driver Surjit Takhar was found dead near Shifnal but there has been no conclusive answer as to what led to his death.

In 2015, road workers discovered human remains at the side of a motorway near Shifnal in Shropshire, some 30 miles from where the father-of-three lived. Investigation revealed they were Takhar’s. Police believe he was murdered. Four people, arrested and interviewed two years later, were released. But nobody has been charged in connection with the case and detectives still say it “remains an open investigation”.

Takhar, from Oldbury, first disappeared in 2008 but came back home.

Investigation indicated that he had a “very chaotic lifestyle” in his final days amid his mounting debts - it is believed he owed money to some dubious characters.

Takhar made a frantic 999 call after someone came to his home just days before his second and final disappearance.

Investigators believed his debt was the most likely reason he was targeted, according to a Birmingham Live report.

When his remains were accidentally discovered by road workers, there was evidence that he suffered fractures in the nose and wrist. Detectives believe he was murdered.

A mystery call was made to West Midlands Police in January 2016 in connection with the case but little is known about what transpired on the phone call.

Shropshire coroner John Ellery said at the end of an inquest in 2018: “It’s a great disappointment to you as a family because we don’t know what happened.”

According to detective inspector Jim Munro, Takhar “had a very chaotic lifestyle before he went missing.

“Surjit had owed money to some of these people before his death and some of the debts had been ongoing”, he said.

He confirmed the man called 999 “when someone came to his flat, so we know he was alive then”.

“It is of great disappointment that we have not been able to find how Surjit met this death,” the detective inspector said.

West Midlands Police said in 2019 that they were "still actively investigating" the case.

But nothing concrete has come out yet.

More For You

Pakistan rejects claim of China’s role in border clash

Asim Munir

Pakistan rejects claim of China’s role in border clash

PAKISTAN’S army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir on Monday (7) rejected Delhi’s allegation that his military received active support from longtime ally China in its conflict with India in May.

The Indian Army’s deputy chief, Lieutenant General Rahul Singh, said last week that China gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions.

Keep ReadingShow less
Modi courts Latin nations to expand trade relations

Christine Kangaloo awards Narendra Modi with the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago last Friday (4)

Modi courts Latin nations to expand trade relations

INDIA’S prime minister, Narendra Modi met Argentine president Javier Milei in Buenos Aires last Saturday (5), urging the expansion of New Delhi’s preferential trade deal with South America’s Mercosur bloc.

The bilateral talks with Milei were the latest in Modi’s whistle-stop diplomatic tour culminating in the summit of Brics emerging economies which began last Sunday (6) in Brazil.

Keep ReadingShow less
Minister 'open to talks' on British Sikh regiment

Lord Coaker (Photo: UK Parliament)

Minister 'open to talks' on British Sikh regiment

A FRESH parliamentary initiative to establish a dedicated Sikh regiment within the British Army has gained momentum in the House of Lords, with defence minister Lord Coaker expressing willingness to engage in further discussions about the long-debated proposal.

The issue was raised in the House of Lords on Monday (7) by Labour peer Lord Sahota, who asked whether there had been any progress on long-standing calls for a Sikh regiment.

Keep ReadingShow less
Heatwave Alert: Don’t Leave Contraceptives or Medication in Cars

Heat can also damage everyday items like sunglasses, suncream and vape devices

iStock

Drivers warned to remove contraceptives and medication from cars during UK heatwave

Highlights:

  • Experts urge motorists to avoid leaving certain items in vehicles during upcoming heatwave
  • Temperatures expected to rise above 30°C across large parts of the UK
  • Contraceptives and common medications can lose effectiveness in high heat
  • Heat can also damage everyday items like sunglasses, suncream and vape devices

Drivers urged to act as UK braces for extended heatwave

Drivers across the UK are being urged to remove a range of everyday items from their cars ahead of a predicted heatwave, with experts warning that the rising temperatures could pose both safety and health risks.

The Met Office has forecast a prolonged spell of hot weather, with temperatures expected to soar into the low 30s on Thursday and Friday. Much of the UK is likely to hit its regional heatwave threshold by the weekend, with this episode potentially affecting a wider area and lasting longer than previous hot spells.

Keep ReadingShow less
Royal Mail

The Royal Mail logo is seen on the side of a van as the UK government clear a 3.57 billion pound takeover offer by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky in London, December 16, 2024. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

Ofcom updates Royal Mail delivery targets, starts pricing review

MEDIA regulator Ofcom has set new minimum delivery standards for Royal Mail and revised existing targets in an effort to reduce delays. It also announced a review into pricing and affordability, amid concerns over rising stamp prices.

Royal Mail, which has faced fines of around $20 million over the past two years for not meeting delivery targets, is currently trying to modernise operations and focus more on parcel deliveries.

Keep ReadingShow less