LONDON: An 18-year-old stabbed to death outside his London home on Wednesday was killed protecting his family, his sister has said.
Hussain Chaudhry, a first-year law student, suffered a stab wound to his neck and was pronounced dead at the scene. His mother and brother both suffered slash wounds to their hands in the attack.
His sister tweeted: “My beautiful baby brother left this world the same way he came in, cradled in my mother’s arms. He died defending his family … To God we belong & to Him we return.”
Neighbors said Chaudhry was killed by two men. An eyewitness told London’s Evening Standard newspaper: “One of them stabbed him in the neck. The mother was screaming ‘they have stabbed my son’.”
Multiple fundraisers have been established in Chaudhry’s honor. The Islamic Society at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), where he studied, has set up one that was initially raising money to pay for a well in his name in Pakistan.
So far the appeal has raised over £32,000 ($44,500), which Islamic Society President Mohammed Arif told Arab News is significantly more than expected.
Because of this, he said, they now plan to use the money for a number of sadaqah jariyah — continuously beneficial donations — including contributing toward the building of a mosque.
Another donation drive has so far raised over £11,000 for the family, and also plans to use the money toward paying for a mosque.
It describes Chaudhry as an “incredibly kind and beautiful soul who always looked out for others.”
SOAS said it was “shocked and deeply saddened” to learn of his death, adding: “Hussain died … in tragic circumstances, defending his mother in an attack, in the course of which she and his brother Hasan, also a SOAS student, were both injured. Both Hasan and his mother are recovering and we wish them a swift return to health.”
Detective Chief Inspector Perry Benton of London’s Metropolitan Police specialist crime command has appealed for information, urging anyone driving in the area at the time to check dash-cam footage, and for local residents to check doorbell cameras.
“A young man has lost his life in tragic circumstances and my thoughts are with his family and friends at this awful time,” he said.
“The attack happened on a busy road during rush hour, and I know there would have been lots of vehicles passing at the time of the incident,” he added.
“We remain committed to tackling violent crime, and we are working with a number of partners to help us prevent another tragic loss of life.”
