Bangladeshi community wants to bury Tipu who found shot dead

Devastated members of the Bangladeshi community are united in grief as they support the family of a murder victim gunned down in a South Shields shooting.

As their community tries to come to terms with the horrific slaying, scores are saying prayers for Tipu Sultan and his family at the mosque in Sunderland where he used to attend.

Tipu sultan
Tipu Sultan who found shot dead with single gunshot wound at the rear of the Herbs n Spice Kitchen in South Shields, South Tyneside

But as they grieve, they are in turmoil as Tipu cannot be buried as investigations continue.

And a special community gathering cannot go ahead until funeral arrangements start being planned.

The scene after a man was shot outside a takeaway in South Shields

Now the Islamic community is praying the body is released so they can lay him to rest.

Imam Yusuf Meah, the Imam of the University of Sunderland and Sunderland Jami Mosque based in Chester Road, said: “When we heard of the death at about 10.30pm on Tuesday, at the first prayer of the day at 5.30am on Wednesday, we held a prayer for him.

“Tipu’s father attended and his relatives and we had a congregation prayer and his father told us what had happened.

“We hold prayer five times a day and since his death each time we hold prayer we have a prayer for him, while his family have been attending.

“But this is a very difficult time because our religion says that the body should be buried straight away, as soon as there is a death certificate. But due to the circumstances of this death the body cannot be released and preparations for a funeral cannot start.

“This is a very grey area and we don’t know what is happening and so we can’t hold a large scale gathering which can be made public.

“At each prayer now we pray the body will be released so plans can start.”

Dad-of-two Tipu, 32, of Gilsland Street, Sunderland, was gunned down at the rear of the family owned Herbs & Spices Kitchen takeaway on Lake Avenue, Marsden, South Shields.Police are hunting the gangland style killers who were believed to have been on a motorbike.

Imam Yusuf is also giving support at Tipu’s home as he visits his family every day where private prayers are also taken.

“From what we know about Tipu he is very quiet and the greatest shock is that it is him. It is very, very strange circumstances and very sad that this has happened to this family. We know Tipu was a man of good character. He was very much a member of the mature Bangladeshi community, even though he was young. We want to do what we can for his family.”

Councillor Dipu Ahad, from Elswick, Newcastle, said: “The minority communities in the Tyne and Wear region have been shocked with the brutal, cowardly, unprovoked murder of Tipu Sultan. This is totally unacceptable and a disgraceful act.

“I ask for all sides the communities to remain calm during this difficult period, and support the police to get to the bottom of this, and bring the cowardly perpetrators to justice.

“My thoughts are with Tipu and his family.”

– By Lisa Hutchinson, Chronicle Live


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