A FAMILY friend of murder victim Ismail Thathia, who had known him for more than a decade, has described him as a “true gentleman”.
Dr Nurdeem Camodiawala said he and his family were deeply shocked by the death of his friend Ismail Thathia, who he prayed with at their mosque in London.
He said: “Our heart pours out to the family and we pray to God that Mrs Thathia recovers quickly.
“I saw Ismail just three weeks ago during Eid and he was in good spirits. This has come completely out of the blue. You could not meet a more placid, family man. This is just tragic.”
Dr Camodiawala, a private physician, met the family through Mr Thathia’s brother-in-law Johar Bharmal.
It is believed that Mr Bharmal and his wife have rushed up to Peterborough from London to keep a vigil at Mrs Thathia’s bedside.
Dr Camodiawala added: “It really has shocked and upset me.
“I found out on Monday afternoon when my friend called and we have been sending messages of support to them during this difficult time.
“They had really made a good life for themselves in Peterborough and had worked hard in their businesses to reach a standard of living they were comfortable with while still devoting themselves to each other.”
He also revealed that the couple had been looking forward to going on the Pilgrimage of Hajj to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in December.
