Asian victim of racist attack dies

A RACIST attack on an Asian man became a murder case yesterday after the 24-year-old victim died in hospital.

A group of white men clubbed the victim about the head with makeshift weapons - including iron rods - gathered from nearby roadworks after a group of Asian men appealed to four whites to stop taunts aimed at Asian girls in Thornton Heath, south London, on Friday night.

The Asian men were chased into a house belonging to Ruhullah Aramesh in nearby Green Lane.

Just before midnight the attackers returned with about 15 others and when Ruhullah stepped outside his house, 10 of the gang attacked him. He died in hospital yesterday afternoon.

Scotland Yard said: 'A murder inquiry has been launched following a racial attack on the victim. We are appealing for witnesses to the attack which happened at Green Lane near the junction of Carolina Road.'

Police said the man was hit about the head 'numerous times with large metal bars and wooden implements. He was attacked about the head several times when he was laying on the ground'.

He was taken to the Atkinson Morley's hospital in Wimbledon where he died at 4.45pm yesterday.