Family of Bedford murder victim Ashish Nahar urge children 'just to drop' the knife

• The aunt and mother of Ashish have spoken about their loss in a video released by Bedfordshire Police

The family of a man who was stabbed to death in a park have shared their story in a powerful new video as police forces across the UK take a stand against knife crime.

Ashish Nahar, 25, died of a single stab wound to the heart after he was attacked in Jubilee Park in Bedford in June 2023.

His killer Kamil Serba was jailed in December for life with a minimum of 14-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to murder at Luton Crown Court.

A judge lifted reporting restrictions to name Serba, who was 16 at the time of the killing.

Less than a year on, his family has spoken out about the devastating effects of knife crime as part of the county’s Just Drop It campaign.

Ashish's Story lays bare the impact of his death from his family and close friend Josh, who witnessed his murder.

“It hasn’t been easy, reliving the worst days of mine and my family’s lives, but I have to believe that by doing so Ashish’s death was not in vain," said Mr Nahar's mother Anita Nahar.

"He was involved in drugs, dealing but then he turned his life around.

"It’s sad to think of the number of times this has and will be said by mothers grieving their sons, but knife crime has to end.

"It is horrendous how knife crime is on such a rise children as young as 12 are stabbing people.

"To say we never saw ourselves being in this position would be a huge understatement, but as a family, we want to see change and if it takes sharing our experience and calling for young people to ‘Just Drop It’, then that’s what we will do.”

Josh who features in the video was with Mr Nahar on the day he was killed

"We were like brothers" he said. "Since he has gone I don’t really go out, I don’t really mix with people; don’t really see people.

"You just distance yourself from society... have sleepless nights. It's hard."

The Just Drop It campaign is part of a number of activities taking place across Bedfordshire as part of Operation Sceptre, the national week of action against knife crime.

The force is also calling for people to surrender their weapons in one of the county’s 11 weapons bins.

Supt Alex House from Bedfordshire Police said: “We must all do our part to tackle knife crime and take dangerous weapons off our streets.

"Just one family affected by knife crime is a family too many, as can be seen by the devastating impact Ashish’s death had on his family.

"We will not let up in our actions to reduce knife crime nor our enforcement against those that perpetuate it.”

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