Teens Found Guilty of Murdering Innocent Teen in Southall
Two 18-year-olds from Hillingdon were convicted of stabbing 16-year-old Rishmeet Singh to death in a shocking case at the Old Bailey on Monday, 6 March. Vanushan Balakrishnan and Ilyas Suleiman, both 18, brutally attacked Rishmeet after a night out with friends. They face sentencing at the same court on Friday, 28 April.
Callous Attack on Defenceless Teen
Detective Inspector Laura Semple slammed the killers: “Rishmeet was just an innocent boy with his whole life ahead of him. He had finished an evening with friends and was simply walking home when he was cruelly chased and stabbed 15 times by Balakrishnan and Suleiman while helpless on the ground.”
She added: “There is never an excuse for murder, but this tragedy is even worse because Rishmeet was the wrong target – caught in the crossfire of a vicious plan.”
Family’s Heartbreaking Loss
Rishmeet’s mother, Gulinder, broke down in a powerful statement: “Rishmeet was my only child. I don’t understand how this could happen to my baby boy. I’ve lost my husband and now my son. No sentence can ever bring him back or heal this pain.”
She described Rishmeet’s hopes and dreams: “He was studying Public Service at college and wanted to be a police officer to help others. He was kind, loyal, and loved by everyone.”
The Fatal Chase in Southall
On 24 November 2021, Rishmeet left friends happily gathered in a park in Southall. Minutes later, he was chased down and stabbed repeatedly after running and tripping on Raleigh Road. CCTV showed the brutal attack lasted just 27 seconds before the attackers fled.
Despite emergency services rushing to the scene, Rishmeet died at 10:08pm.
Cold-Blooded Killers Planned Murder
Balakrishnan and Suleiman, aged 17 at the time, prepared for murder all day at a flat in Southall. They changed clothes, concealed their faces with masks and hoodies, armed themselves with knives, and set out on pedal bikes.
They spotted Rishmeet alone on a canal towpath after saying goodbye to his friends. Mistakenly believing he was gang-affiliated, they brutally attacked him then returned to their flat. Mobile phone records and CCTV sealed their fate.
Shocking Evidence and Failed Escape
Police found clothing and a notebook with chilling lyrics describing the attack in Balakrishnan’s room. His phone showed he followed news reports about Rishmeet and even mocked media coverage.
Suleiman hid after the murder but was caught days later in Edgware after dramatically changing his hairstyle and scrapping his phone to evade police.
The knives used were never found, but images of one bloody blade taken shortly after the murder were recovered from Balakrishnan’s phone.
Justice for Rishmeet
Balakrishnan and Suleiman’s cold, calculated murder of a defenceless teenager has shocked the community and devastated a family who fled Taliban terror. They will face their sentencing soon, but nothing will bring back the bright young life they ruthlessly ended.
