Welcome home party that ended in tragedy
8:15am Friday 21st November 2008 in News
DECEMBER 21 was supposed to be a time of celebration for the Ahmed household.
Asaf Ahmed’s mother had just returned from visiting relatives in Pakistan and the family were busy enjoying a welcome home party.
But for the family, it will always be remembered as the day when their world was destroyed, as Mr Ahmed — a father-of-three, a husband, a son and brother — was killed.
Mr Ahmed briefly left the party to buy a can of fizzy pop from a local shop. But it was a short trip from which he never returned.
The family was at his sister Tazeem’s house in Deane, on the night of the attack. They were all there to welcome their beloved mum home.
They are a close family, brought even closer by the fact they lost their father when they were children.
Mr Ahmed, described by Miss Ahmed as a gentle man, greeted his mother with a kiss. As the celebrations got under way, he decided to go out for a can of pop.
His mum told him not to, that there was plenty to drink in the house, but he insisted. He headed to the off-licence in Deane Road, expecting to be back in minutes.
But that was the last time his family saw him alive.
