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Police to probe cabbie’s death
b12-109 Scenesetter of AGS Cars Ltd, St Peter's Street, Bedford
A GRANDFATHER who died following an assault as he worked as a Bedford taxi driver was described by his colleagues as someone who was “always smiling”.
Mehar Singh Dhariwal, 61, of Hillgrounds, Kempston, was assaulted in the early hours of Sunday, January 22, at the AGS Cars taxi rank in St Peter’s Street, Bedford.
He was treated in hospital for his injuries and discharged, but was re-admitted to Bedford Hospital five days later where he remained until his death on Sunday.
This week Bedfordshire Police announced that the case has been referred to the Beds and Herts Major Crime Unit after a postmortem was unable to confirm the cause of death.
Fayaz Alhaq, manager of AGS Cars, paid tribute to Mr Dhariwal who had worked for the firm for around eight years.
He said: “He was always smiling and there was never an angry word said in the whole time I worked with him.
“The only way to describe him is someone you wanted around you all the time. He has a family and grandchildren who are all devastated.”
He added: “We have lost a great person. Forget about the driving side of it, he was just a great person. We’ve had all the drivers and controllers in tears and it makes it even worse because he was like a family member to us all.”
In a mark of respect drivers and controllers at Bedford’s taxi ranks are to close for an hour before and after Mr Dhariwal’s funeral, a date for which has not yet been confirmed.
And Mr Alhaq warned that assaults on taxi drivers are not a rarity in Bedford.
He said: “Bedford is coming to a stage where drivers are being attacked and it was just a matter of time. Unfortunately Mr Dhariwal was the first person to die in Bedford.”
A 26-year-old Bedford man charged with causing Mr Dhariwal actual bodily harm has been remanded in custody.
Further tests will be carried out to establish the cause of death.
A police investigation into the assault on Mr Dhariwal has now been re-opened.
DCI Sean O’Neil, who is now leading the investigation, said: “A thorough investigation into the original assault was carried out and a man was arrested and charged with ABH before the victim died.
“Now that circumstances have changed it is only right that we establish the exact cause of this man’s death and re-look at the events that preceded it.
“I would like to reassure family, friends and colleagues of the deceased that we are doing everything possible to establish exactly what happened.”
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Weather for Bedford
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 19 C
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