‘Loving’ army veteran grandad, 82, dies after stranger snatches his walking stick

A ‘loving’ army veteran died after being pushed to the ground in a random attack.

Allen Karam Chand got off the 74 bus with Muntahar Ahmed on Soho Road in Handworth, an industrial area in Birmingham, on January 14.

Yet within a minute of hopping off, Ahmed snatched the 82-year-old’s walking stick and shoved him off the kerb just after 3.30pm.

Ahmed, 44, then walked off, leaving the grandad in the road with a fractured skull and significant bleeding on the brain.

Why Ahmed attacked Allen is unknown – neither of the men knew one another.

Allen was taken to the hospital but died the following weekend.

Ahmed, of no fixed address, was arrested two days later after returning to Soho Road.

He was initially charged with wounding, which was changed to manslaughter following Allen’s death.

He pled guilty today and will be sentenced at a later date.

Allen’s children described their father as a ‘loving, caring’ man who ‘never deceived anyone’.

‘For God so loved the world, that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life,’ they added.

‘Jesus said whoever believes in me, though he may die he shall live. 

‘Our father is not physically with us but he is alive with Lord Jesus.’

Detective Sergeant Joanne Potter said that following the ‘unnecessary act of violence’, Allen had little chance of surviving.

He added: ‘It remains unclear what prompted this attack but it’s clear this was not an act of self-defence.

‘There was no need for Ahmed to do what he did and it has ultimately cost an elderly man his life.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

Comments Add as preferred source