The devastated mother of a man who died after being mugged for his mobile phone is desperate for his body to be returned to India.

Saravanakumar Sellappan, a 24-year-old Tamil student, was attacked and robbed in Thornton Heath by three men.

He died after suffering serious head injuries in the assault on October 19.

The family were hoping to mourn and bury their son as soon as possible, as in Tamil culture a person is usually buried within 24 hours of their death.

The non-return of Mr Sellappan’s body nearly a month after his death has affected his mother so much she has been admitted to hospital.

His family has been left destitute by his death as his father - a poor farmer - sold his land to pay for his only son to study in the UK.

Mr Sellappan had been sending money to support his parents in southern India.

His cousin Saravana Kandasamy, 27, spoke to the Croydon Guardian about the family’s plight from their home in southern India.

He said: “The family, especially his mother have been going through a lot of mental distress, the police keep on telling us they have to do three post mortems.

“We need to see the body as soon as possible. The parents are going through a very bad time, at first my cousin’s mother refused to eat any food. Every day they are getting more depressed.

“They are hard workers, they are losing all their energy.”

Jacob Ravibalan, the president of the World Tamil Organisation – a charity that supports Tamils in the UK - has been talking to the victim’s family in their small village in Namakkal in southern India since his tragic death.

He has raised more than £2,200 so far through generous donations from members of the public to send Mr Sellappan’s body back to his family.

He said: “I have been trying to call the Indian High Commission and ask them to help with money to send this poor innocent boy back home.

“They keep telling me they have no funds to help. This innocent boy is an Indian national, it is dreadful they will not help him.”

Broad Green Councillor Mike Selva has been speaking to the police and trying to explain the process to the family.

He said: “At home the family are very anxious, the mother has been admitted to hospital.

“I spoke to the coroner, they said they hoped to release the body this week.”

As soon as the body is released, Mr Ravibalan hopes to organise a memorial for Saravanakumar Sellappan before sending him home to his family.

• Jegir Ali Ahmmadi, 19, of Morland Road, Croydon and a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons have been charged with murder.

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