Student is 28th teen to die violently this year

Mauritian Nabil Bakurally, 19, was killed in a suspected row with a group of rival Asian men in Ilford.

The foreign student, who emigrated to London three years ago, became the 28th teenager to be violently killed in London this year.

Friends of the "polite" and "sweet-natured" teenager known as Ashik today revealed how he was looking forward to flying home to Mauritius for a family wedding. Rocky Jaison Mokhoon became friends with the music-loving teenager through the Mauritian club nights he organises.

He said: "I started shaking when I heard it was Ashik. He was such a good character, respectful and polite, very well-spoken. He wasn't one of the rough boys, hanging around in gangs or mixed up in anything bad.

"He used to come to the CO2 bar in Ilford every time I was DJ-ing. I knew he was working hard in college and looking forward to going back to Mauritius for two weeks to see all his family."

A 17-year-old friend of the victim, who was also stabbed in the attack, remains in hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Mr Mokhoon, a director of the Hope and Wellness charity, said he believes the row was over a Mauritian girl whom the teenager knew. Tensions between Mauritian and Indian teenagers in the area have been high for weeks and Ashik may have inadvertently been drawn into the feud. Mr Mokhoon added: "He wasn't the type to fight. There was an Asian club event in Ilford that night so there would have been a lot of Indians around."

The student is thought to have been living with his father in east London while his mother and a younger brother and sister were in Mauritius. His family have been informed and were said to be on their way to London today.

Tributes have been left to Ashik on the Hi5 social networking website. One, from Amna, reads: "I hope you get the rest you deserve. Not a second goes by that we don't think of you and smile."

Three men have been arrested following the stabbing at 2.30am on Saturday in High Road, Ilford. Two men, aged 23 and 24, were arrested shortly after the incident and a 21-year-old man was later arrested in Ilford. All three were today still being questioned. Anyone with information should call the incident room on 020 8345 3985 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Ashik was one of five people murdered in the space of 48 hours. Model Amyleigh Barnes, 19, was killed in Bolton in a suspected domestic incident. An 18-year-old man was murdered in Leeds and the body of a 30-year-old man was found outside a village church in Derbyshire. Luke Campbell, 20, was found stabbed in the chest in Dorset on Saturday.