The son of an Imam murdered in Rochdale has paid tribute to him today.
Jalal Uddin, originally from Bangladesh, was found with serious head injuries at a playground in Rochdale last Thursday.
The 64-year-old died shortly after being rushed to hospital. A 21-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy have been arrested.
Mr Uddin’s son described his father as a simple man who was ‘respected by all for his kind and caring nature’.
He said: “Jalal Uddin was a loved and integral part of the community. He was a soft spoken, gentle soul who wouldn’t hesitate to help those in need.
“He was a selfless man of principle, who always strived to do the right thing.
“For the community, it is a great loss to lose such a soul. With his extensive knowledge of Islam and his ability to share this knowledge, he captured the hearts of the old and the young, truly making a difference in people’s lives.
“As the main provider for his family in Bangladesh, he dedicated his life to ensure his family’s wellbeing, and we thank everybody for their support and kind condolences at this difficult time.
“He was a loving father, husband, and grandfather who will be dearly missed by not only his wife, children and his young grandchildren, but by all who knew him.
“We hope his soul will be at rest in the knowledge that those who loved him, really cherished him.
“The events that transpired on that night were completely unexpected, and incredibly inhumane. Nobody should have to go through what Jalal did. We are mortified that such a horrific attack took place with such an innocent and polite soul.
“We hope that justice will persevere and the perpetrators responsible will be held to account.”
Detective Chief Inspector Terry Crompton, from GMP’s Serious Crime Division, added that the investigation is ‘continuing at a quick pace’.
He said: “We have got two people in custody and I hope these arrests, along with the police activity on Ramsey Street today will reassure the public of just how serious we are taking this investigation.
“We are continuing to appeal for anyone with information to come forward and following extensive analysis of CCTV, we now know that Jalal walked into the park from the South Street entrance at 8:41pm before he was then found injured seven minutes later by a member of the public.
“We are keen to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious in the South Street area around this time, no matter how big or small you believe it may be.”
A 31-year-old man, who was arrested last Friday, has been released without charge and eliminated from police enquiries.
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 4711 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
