Two Teens Found Guilty of Murdering Innocent 16-Year-Old in Cold Blood
Vanushan Balakrishnan, 18, and Ilyas Suleiman, 18, both from Hillingdon, were convicted on Monday, 6 March, at the Old Bailey for the brutal murder of 16-year-old Rishmeet Singh. The heartbroken teens will be sentenced on Friday, 28 April.
Chilling Attack Caught on CCTV
Detective Inspector Laura Semple revealed the horrific details: “Rishmeet was an innocent boy enjoying an evening with friends when he was ruthlessly chased down and stabbed 15 times by Balakrishnan and Suleiman. They deliberately armed themselves and set out to kill someone that night. Tragically, Rishmeet was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
The attack lasted only 27 seconds. After leaving his friends in Southall, Rishmeet spotted the two attackers running towards him. He shouted “run, run” and tried to escape but tripped and fell on Raleigh Road. Both Balakrishnan and Suleiman stabbed the defenceless teenager multiple times before fleeing the scene.
Tragic Backstory: A Life Cut Short
Rishmeet arrived in the UK in 2019 with his mother and grandmother, fleeing Taliban violence in Afghanistan after his father was killed. He was studying a Public Service course, dreaming of becoming a police officer to make a difference.
Rishmeet’s mother, Gulinder, said: “Rishmeet was my only child. He had his whole life ahead of him. I have lost everything. I will never see him grow up, fall in love, or achieve his dreams. They have taken my whole life away.”
Cold-Blooded Murderers Tried to Cover Their Tracks
The court heard that on the day of the killing, the pair spent hours in a Southall flat before changing clothes, hiding their faces with hoods and Covid masks, and arming themselves with knives. They stalked Rishmeet to the canal towpath, where he was ambushed.
Police uncovered chilling evidence including lyrics Balakrishnan wrote describing the murder, and images of a bloodied knife taken shortly after the attack. Suleiman tried to go into hiding but was arrested three weeks later, sporting a new hairstyle and using a different phone.
Balakrishnan was caught with incriminating items including Suleiman’s college enrolment form, proving their partnership in the crime.
Justice for Rishmeet, a Life Tragically Lost
Despite their conviction, Rishmeet’s family say no sentence will bring him back. Detective Semple paid tribute to their courage during the trial: “This senseless murder has robbed a young man of his future and leaves a family devastated.”
The sentencing on 28 April will finally deliver justice for the young victim and his grieving family.
