The family of a man who was stabbed to death in a Bedford park have shared their story as part of our #JustDropIt Campaign.
Ashish Nahar died of a single stab wound to the heart after he was attacked while sitting on a bench in Jubilee Park, Bedford in June last year.
He was 25.
A 16-year-old boy was convicted of his murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 14-and-a-half years.
Less than a year on, his family has spoken out about the devastating effects of knife crime in a new short film commissioned by the VERU.
Released today, ‘Ashish’s Story’ shares the impact of his death from the perspective of 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.
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.
Ashish was a blessing in every sense of the word. That blessing was taken from us in a cowardly attack on a young man who was just finding his way in life and reaping the rewards of a fresh start.
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.” x
Just Drop It aims to highlight the traumatic impact knife crime has on loved ones and the wider community, by providing a platform for victims to share their experiences and deter young people from engaging in knife crime.
The campaign forms part of a number of activities taking place across Bedfordshire as part of Operation Sceptre, the national week of action against knife crime.
