Father of four killed by thugs after celebrating Hindu festival

The family of a father-of-four who died after being attacked as he returned from celebrating the Hindu Diwali festival told today of their devastation.

Sellathurai Easwaran, 40, was involved in an altercation with four men outside the Akgul Foodstores, a 24-hour shop in Barking Road, Upton Park, in the early hours of Saturday and received a blow to the head as he was punched and kicked. It is thought that he had been buying beer at the shop but it is not clear if he was robbed.

Mr Easwaran was spotted lying in a pool of blood by police on patrol and taken to hospital. He managed to give police a description of his attackers, but after leaving hospital on Saturday afternoon he collapsed and died less than 24 hours later at his home in Manor Park.

Mr Easwaran lived with his wife and their four children, aged from five to 12.

None of his immediate family wished to give their names for fear of reprisals but his cousin Thanis Rasa, 25, said: "The whole family is so upset. He was out with friends drinking because of Diwali at the weekend. We think he was attacked and then hit his head on the ground.

"He had come here from Yemen two years ago with his family. He wasn't working at the moment, but he had been a cashier in a petrol station. He was a very good man and a good father. We just want to find out who did this and why."

Four men were arrested in Newham yesterday and are in custody.

Anyone with information should call police on 020 8345 3985 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.