Wife of grandfather, 80, ‘kicked to death yards from his front door’ visits floral tributes laid next to park where he was killed – as police continue to quiz boy, 14, over ‘murder’

The heartbroken wife of the pensioner who was attacked just steps from their home of 40 years has been seen looking over floral tributes left for him – with their little dog at her side. 

Bhim Sen Kohli, 80, had been walking pooch Rocky on Sunday evening at Franklin Park, Leics. when he was allegedly kicked in the neck and back by a group of children. 

The grandfather died in hospital the following day as a result of a neck injury, post-mortem results last night revealed.

Floral tributes and messages now line a fence near the park – which is just yards from Mr Kohli’s door – and his loved ones have been seen scanning over them. 

The 80-year-old’s wife Stander Kaur, 73, was seen picking up cards and reading notes left on flowers last night. 

Stander Kaur (pictured), was seen looking at tributes left for her husband Bhim Sen Kohli, who was ‘kicked to death’ at a Leicestershire park on Sunday 

Mr Kohli, 80, was walking in Franklin Park, Braunstone Town when he was allegedly attacked by a group of children. He died on Monday

Police guarded the scene, just yards from Mr Kohli’s house, on Tuesday 

Mr Kohli’s 1970s semi is the second to last house before the park entrance, just yards from where he was attacked

Mr Kohli was walking his dog, Rocky (pictured), in the park when the alleged attack happened

Flowers have been laid in memory of the late dog walker

She appeared to be with a group of family, with 15-year-old Rocky padding along nearby. 

Stander and other family members paid tribute to Mr Kohli this afternoon. 

They said in a heartbreaking statement that: ‘Bhim was a loving husband, dad and grandad. He was also a son, brother and uncle. He adored his grandkids with all his heart and loved spending time with them. He really was such a loving, caring person whose life was centred around his family.’

They added that he had been attacked just yards from the place he had called home for 40 years, adding: ‘Bhim loved to laugh. He was always very happy and talkative, the joker of the family and always loved to outsmart us with a smile.

‘Our hearts have been completely broken.’ 

Mr Kohli had been walking the family dog when he was attacked on Sunday night.  

Five youngsters, a boy and a girl, both 14, and two girls and a boy, all aged 12, were on Tuesday arrested on suspicion of murder. 

Leicestershire Police last night said four of the schoolchildren had now been released without charge but one – a 14-year-old boy – was still being quizzed by detectives. 

 Stander, 73, was seen near the scene on Tuesday night 

 Mr Kohli (pictured) would regularly walk his 15-year-old black and tan crossbreed dog, Rocky, in the park

Police officers were pictured entering and leaving the area of the park in which the alleged attack occurred

Forensic investigators were seen at the crime scene in Braunstone Town on Tuesday

Tributes are now pouring in for Mr Kohli – who has been described as a ‘proper gent’.

Friend Nigel Morris said the pensioner,  who ‘always had a smile’, was ‘just a genuinely nice guy’. 

He told BBC News: ‘I don’t understand any of this. He was a proper gent. I’m just sick – I feel quite sick about the whole thing.’ 

Detectives are ‘continuing to carry out enquiries to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident’, and are appealing for anyone in the area between 6pm and 6:45pm to come forward. 

 Detective Inspector Emma Matts, senior investigating officer, said: ‘The circumstances surrounding Mr Kohli’s death are extremely tragic and upsetting not only for his family and friends but also the wider community.

‘We continue to offer support to the family through our family liaison officers and the local policing teams are in the area to provide reassurance and discuss any issues or concerns.

‘The family are aware of the significant public interest in the death of their loved one and would like to thank people for their kind words and sympathy. At this stage the family are asking for privacy at this extremely difficult time.

‘Our investigation into the assault on Mr Kohli remains ongoing. We continue to keep an open mind around the circumstances surrounding the incident as we work to establish what occurred in the park on Sunday evening.

‘I would continue to urge anyone who can assist our investigation to come forward.’

The force added that the scene preservation in the park, where he was killed, has now been lifted. 

Mr Kohli’s 1970s semi, where he lived with his wife Satinder Kaur, 73, is the second to last house before the park entrance, just yards from where he was attacked.

One woman stopped to lay flowers close to the park on Tuesday afternoon after the incident shook the local community

A police cordon remained in place at Franklin Park in Braunstone Town on Tuesday

Mr Kohli was a retired factory owner and leaves behind his devastated wife, three children and two grandchildren. Pictured: police cars outside the park entrance 

He would regularly walk his 15-year-old black and tan crossbreed dog, Rocky, in the park. 

His daughter said that her father had been left with neck and spine injuries after the attack.

She told the Leicester Mercury on Monday: ‘They pushed him, they kicked him in the neck, kicked him in the spine.

‘He was about 30 seconds away from getting home. He’s always been very active – he has three allotments. We’ve lived here for 40 years.’ She described rushing to the park to find her father ‘lying under a tree’. 

Neighbours and others living in the area said they had called the police in the last two or three months over gangs of youths abusing Asian residents and reported seeing them kicking cans and climbing on bungalow roofs.

They also said the children had thrown football-sized rocks at Mr Kohli. The large stones are used to stop people parking on grass verges in the quiet cul de sac but several were missing today.

One neighbour, who did not want to give his name for fear of reprisals, said: ‘Over the last two or three months there has been a group of youngsters, shouting and abusing Asian people.

‘I have seen it, I haven’t been always able to hear exactly what they are saying but it is clear what they are doing. The police have been called. It is awful. I don’t know why the are like this, you have to question the way they have been raised.’

Another neighbour, 50-year-old Frank Owen, said: ‘It’s only the last few weeks we’ve had this trouble with a bunch of kids. They’ve been playing up late at night. I’ve heard they were on a bungalow.’

‘It’s a cul de sac so unless you are coming here for a reason there is not much point unless you are going to the park.’ 

David Donahue, 75, a retired aircraft engineer from Pittsburgh in the US, who is visiting his sister-in-law, said: ‘We saw a group of youngsters kicking a can down the street earlier in the day. Well, we heard the noise then saw them. 

‘My sister-in-law regularly walks in the park but has said she won’t now – she doesn’t feel safe.’

One resident said: ‘I think he had been harassed before by teenagers. I don’t know him really, but I saw him around. 

‘That afternoon I did see three lads and two teenage girls walking around laughing.

‘I know someone said kids had been throwing stones at him.’

Another one of Mr Kohil’s neighbours, Harjinder Kalia, 53, said: ‘I’ve lived here for 35 years, he was a nice person, he was always joking, to everyone not just with us, everybody.

She added: ‘There is no reason why anyone would do this. Sometimes children would fight with each other in the park.’

Mr Kohli was a retired factory owner and leaves behind his devastated wife, three children and two grandchildren.

His daughter yesterday said that her father had been left with neck and spine injuries after the attack, and had been scheduled to undergo surgery before he died. 

She told the Leicester Mercury: ‘They pushed him, they kicked him in the neck, kicked him in the spine. He was about 30 seconds away from getting home’

She described rushing to the park to find her father ‘lying under a tree’.

Deep Singh Kalia, 70, a long-time friend and neighbour of Mr Kohli told the Sun: ‘He was such a lovely guy. It is a horrible shock. I would meet up with him every day. We were both originally from the Punjab in India.

‘He loved his allotment, and loved his dog, and loved his family. He used to own a factory that made jumpers and cardigans.’ 

Another friend, 55-year-old Graham Haldane, told the Telegraph that cops took three days to take a statement.  

‘He was a lovely guy but was getting very frail. He had osteoporosis and could hardly move his neck’, he said. 

‘He had three plots at the allotments and worked on them all year round. He had some bother a few months back with some kids who had climbed onto the flat garage roof opposite.

‘He challenged them and they dished out some abuse and spat at him. He rang the police about it but it took them three days to come round and take a statement.

Detectives have been working with local residents and are actively seeking witnesses who were in the park on Sunday evening to come forward. 

Earlier today Emma Matts, a detective inspector, said: ‘Sadly, following the death of the victim last night, this has now become a murder investigation.

‘Officers are continuing to work at speed to establish the details of the attack and we have made a number of arrests as we continue to understand what has happened.

‘A scene preservation will remain in place at the park while our investigation progresses. Local officers are also in the area carrying out reassurance patrols and can speak to anyone in the local community who has concerns.’

Police believe the man had been wearing a black jumper and grey jogging bottoms.

Leicestershire Police said: ‘Were you in the area of Franklin Park or Bramble Way from 1800 to 1845 on Sunday 1st September 2024? Did you see the attack itself? From the description given did you see the victim before the incident or possibly a group of young people leaving the area after?

‘If you have information, and if you have relevant digital photos, videos, CCTV, or Dash-cam / Doorbell-cam footage please submit via the Portal form.’