"Why should we be pushed out? Why should we allow these two children to push us out of where my dad once loved, where we love?" The words of Susan Kohli, whose 80-year-old father Bhim Kohli died after being racially abused and brutally attacked at a park just yards from the family home in Braunstone, Leicestershire. A 15-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl were both found guilty of Mr Kohli's manslaughter andwere sentenced earlier this month. Speaking to the BBC, Mrs Kohli admitted she had discussed with her mother the idea of moving away from the area - but questioned why it should be them that has to leave their community. The boy was sentenced to seven years in custody while the girl was given a three-year youth rehabilitation order and made subject to a six-month curfew,which Mrs Kohli said was "unanswerable". "In the last nine months, there has been a lot of talk between me and my mum because the incident happened literally on our doorstep," she said. "So whenever you walk out the door, it's a constant reminder of what happened to dad. "We've had these discussions about do we stay? Do we go?" The attack on Mr Kohli happened as he walked his dog, Rocky, in Franklin Park on 1 September last year. He died a day later in hospital. The boy racially abused Mr Kohli before slapping him in the face with a slider shoe, while the girl encouraged the assault and laughed as she filmed it on her phone. Neither can be named because of their ages. Mrs Kohli said her neighbours had been "amazing" and "so supportive" in the difficult months since. "And that's where we feel, will we get the same neighbours when you move away?" she said. "It's the people that's keeping us there. It's the people and it's the memories. "It is just the fact that all of my dad's memories are there. "They will always be in our heart." Despite this, Mrs Kohli feels there are questions to be answered in their community following her father's death. Earlier this month it was revealed that Mr Kohli had spoken to police just two weeks before his death afterseeing another Asian man being assaulted by two white boys,who threw a large rock at him. Mrs Kohli added: "We need to call out whenever these issues are happening. We need to face it. And if we don't, it is just going to continue." Leicestershire Police said "organisational learning" to improve logging anti-social behaviour had been identified. The force added it had undertaken an investigation, reviewed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which did not identify any "misconduct or missed opportunities which could have prevented Mr Kohli's death". Follow BBC Leicester onFacebook, onX, or onInstagram. Send your story ideas toeastmidsnews@bbc.co.ukor viaWhatsAppon 0808 100 2210.
'Dad's killing won't drive us from our home'
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Family of Racially Abused Man Refuses to Leave Community After Tragic Death"
Bbc News
7.7
TruthLens AI Summary
Susan Kohli, whose father Bhim Kohli was tragically killed after a racially motivated attack in Braunstone, Leicestershire, expressed her determination to remain in her family's home despite the trauma. The 80-year-old Mr. Kohli was assaulted in Franklin Park on September 1, 2022, by a 15-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl, who were later convicted of manslaughter. During the attack, the boy racially abused Mr. Kohli and struck him with a shoe, while the girl filmed the incident and encouraged the assault. After the attack, Mr. Kohli succumbed to his injuries the following day. Following the sentencing, which saw the boy receive seven years in custody and the girl a three-year youth rehabilitation order, Mrs. Kohli expressed her disbelief at the leniency of the punishments. She and her mother have contemplated moving away due to the constant reminders of their loss, but they question why they should be the ones to leave their community where they have cherished memories of their father and received support from neighbors.
Mrs. Kohli highlighted the need for community awareness and action against racism and violence, sharing that her father had reported an earlier assault on another man just weeks prior to his own death. This incident has spurred her to call for a collective confrontation of such issues to prevent future tragedies. She expressed gratitude for the support from her neighbors, which makes her hesitant to leave, stating that it is the people and memories that keep them rooted in their home. Leicestershire Police acknowledged the need for improvement in addressing anti-social behavior and confirmed that their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Kohli's death did not reveal any misconduct or missed opportunities that could have prevented the tragedy. Mrs. Kohli emphasized the importance of facing these challenges head-on to foster a safer community for everyone.
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