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Home LONDON Detectives investigating the murder of a man in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park are offering £20,000 for any information which could lead to the identification and conviction of his killer

Detectives investigating the murder of a man in Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park are offering £20,000 for any information which could lead to the identification and conviction of his killer

50-year-old Ranjith Kankanamalage, known as ‘Roy’, was violently attacked and killed in the park on Monday, 16 August. Officers from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command are investigating his murder, which has been categorised as a homophobic hate crime. Detectives have been able to pursue a number of lines of enquiry with the help of the local community, but they believe there may still be key witnesses who have not yet come forward. In addition to the offer of a financial reward, they are releasing images of two men who they know to have been in the vicinity of the cemetery at the time of the attack and who may hold information that could prove invaluable to the investigation. The first of the two possible witnesses (shown in image N306) is described as medium build, with short, light-coloured hair, wearing a dark t-shirt, light blue shorts, dark brown trainers and carrying a black backpack. The second person (shown in image N307) is also of medium build but with short dark hair, wearing a dark jacket and dark trousers. Detective Superintendent Pete Wallis, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command: “We understand that given the circumstances of the murder, people may be reluctant to come forward. “We continue to urge anyone with information, no matter how insignificant they believe it to be, to report it to police or any of our LGBT+ partners. We are particularly appealing to the two people pictured to come forward. “I can assure the public that any information shared will be treated with the utmost sensitivity and consideration. My colleagues and I remain dedicated to finding Ranjith’s killer.” Derek Lee, from the Met’s LGBT+ Advisory Group, said: “We appeal for anyone who knows anything about this horrendous crime to come forward using the many channels available. We are aware that, while it remains unsolved, this is causing considerable concern amongst LGBTQ+ people in Tower Hamlets and across London. “We are advising the police on sensitive ways of keeping our parks safe and wider reassurance for all communities. At the same time we ask everyone to please use common sense when going home or out late at night. We must all be vigilant.” John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “We have been deeply saddened and shocked following the senseless murder of Ranjith Kankanamalage. “Anyone with information is encouraged to come forward so that we can ensure the safety of our residents and the LGBT+ community here and across the rest of London. “Tower Hamlets is proudly a No Place for Hate borough and hate crimes of any sort will not be tolerated. We have a rich history of diversity which we celebrate alongside our work to ensure we are a safe and cohesive borough, free from all forms of hate.” Anyone with information should contact 101, giving the reference 1277/16AUG Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or to

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