Friends of a Tamil student who died after being mugged for his mobile phone gathered on Saturday to remember his life.

The body of Saravanakumar Sellappan was released by the coroner’s office last week and nearly 200 people gathered to pay their respects before he was flown back to Mr Sellappan’s family in Southern India on Monday.

The a 24-year-old business student, was attacked and robbed in Thornton Heath by three men.

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

Mike Selva, Broad Green councillor and prominent member of the Tamil Community was at the memorial.

He said: “I spoke at the memorial and apologised to the family in India. I said that we, the people from Croydon and the people from the UK are sorry that this terrible thing has had to happen in our country.

“There were between 150 and 200 people at the memorial over the afternoon and a Tamil priest came down from East London.

“The police also sent two officers and Detective Chief Inspector Amanda Hargreaves, the investigating officers spoke and explained how they had been liaising with the family in India which was comforting to them.”

Mr Sellappan’s family have become increasingly distressed over the past month as, in the Tamil culture, the dead are usually buried within 24 hours of death.

His mother, in particular, has been so distraught at being unable to properly mourn her son, she has been admitted to hospital.

Jacob Ravibalan, the president of the World Tamil Organisation, accompanied Mr Sellappan’s body back to India.

His tireless fundraising ensured the £4,000 was raised to send Mr Sellappan’s body back to his family. Mr Ravibalan, who generously donated his own money to the fund, is also hoping to present the parents with some money to help them in the aftermath of their only son’s death.

Mr Sellappan’s father, a poor farmer, sold all his land to send his son to study in the UK. The student had been supporting his parents and his sisters by sending them money from his part time job at a petrol station.

Mr Ravibalan has blasted the Indian High Commission for their lack of help in repatriating the 24-year-old.

In a letter to the Indian High Commission, he wrote about the “atrocious” attitude he was confronted with when asking for assistance and was forced to appeal to the “philanthropic hearts” in the UK for help when the commission refused to help.

Fabion Emmanuel, a Tamil leader, was also at the funeral and read out a poem for Mr Sellappan.

It reads: May the road rise to meet you/May the wind be always at your back/May the sunshine warm upon your face/May the rains fall softly upon your fields until we meet again/May God hold you in the follow of his hand.

• 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.