Tributes for grandfather, 80, ‘kicked to dying yards from entrance door’
- READ MORE: Friends pay tribute to grandfather, who was a ‘proper gent’
The heartbroken family of the grandfather who died after he was allegedly attacked just yards from his front door have paid tribute.
Bhim Sen Kohli, 80, had been walking dog Rocky on Sunday evening at Franklin Park, Leics. when he was allegedly kicked in the neck and back by a group of children.
The grandfather died in hospital the following day as a result of a neck injury, post-mortem results last night revealed.
Mr Kohli’s heartbroken family today said: ‘Bhim was a loving husband, dad and grandad. He was also a son, brother and uncle. He adored his grandkids with all his heart and loved spending time with them. He really was such a loving, caring person whose life was centred around his family.
‘He has always been a very hardworking man and even at the age of 80 he was still very active. One of his great passions was his allotment, he would go everyday to tend to his plots and was so proud of them. He also enjoyed walking the family dog Rocky on the park many times a day.
Bhim Sen Kohli, 80, died after he was ‘attacked at a park’ just yards from his Leics. home on Sunday
Tributes have now poured in for the grandfather
‘Bhim loved to laugh. He was always very happy and talkative, the joker of the family and always loved to outsmart us with a smile. Our family have lived in the same house in Braunstone for 40 years, so he was very well known in the community – we have been overwhelmed by the messages and support from many who knew him.
‘Our hearts have been completely broken. We are now pulling together as a family to try and support each other through the most difficult time imaginable and would ask for privacy while we do this.’
Five youngsters, a boy and a girl, both 14, and two girls and a boy, all aged 12, were on Tuesday arrested on suspicion of murder.
Leicestershire Police last night said four of the schoolchildren had now been released without charge but one – a 14-year-old boy – was still being quizzed by detectives.
Tributes are now pouring in for Mr Kohli – who has been described as a ‘proper gent’.
Friend Nigel Morris said the pensioner, who ‘always had a smile’, was ‘just a genuinely nice guy’.
He told BBC News: ‘I don’t understand any of this. He was a proper gent. I’m just sick – I feel quite sick about the whole thing.’
Detectives are ‘continuing to carry out enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident’, and are appealing for anyone in the area between 6pm and 6:45pm to come forward.
Police guarded the scene, just yards from Mr Kohli’s house, on Tuesday
Mr Kohli has been described by his family as a ‘loving, caring person whose life was centred around his family’
Mr Kohli was walking his dog, Rocky (pictured), in the park when the alleged attack happened
Flowers have been laid in memory of the late dog walker
Mr Kohli’s 1970s semi, where he lived with his wife Satinder Kaur, 73, is the second to last house before the park entrance, just yards from where he was attacked.
He would regularly walk his 15-year-old black and tan crossbreed dog, Rocky, in the park.
His daughter said that her father had been left with neck and spine injuries after the attack.
She told the Leicester Mercury on Monday: ‘They pushed him, they kicked him in the neck, kicked him in the spine.
‘He was about 30 seconds away from getting home. He’s always been very active – he has three allotments. We’ve lived here for 40 years.’
She described rushing to the park to find her father ‘lying under a tree’.
