London: London police said on Tuesday they believed they had recovered from the River Thames the body of a man suspected of injuring several people last month by throwing a corrosive chemical on them.
A manhunt was launched for Abdul Ezedi after a woman and her two daughters, aged 8 and 3, were attacked on Jan. 31 in Clapham, south London, in a "horrific" incident which left the mother with life-changing injuries.
London's Metropolitan Police, who earlier this month said that based on CCTV footage Ezedi was presumed to have drowned in the Thames, said a body was seen near Tower Pier on Monday afternoon and was recovered by the Marine Policing Unit.
"Based on the distinctive clothing he was wearing at the time of the attack and property found on his body, we strongly believe we have recovered the body of Ezedi," Metropolitan Police Commander Jon Savell said in a statement.
"As you may expect after a considerable period of time in the strong current of the Thames, formal identification is not possible visually, nor from fingerprints. We will work with the coroner on other ways to complete formal identification, such as DNA testing and dental records. That may take some time."
The case drew political attention in Britain because Ezedi had been granted asylum after a sexual assault conviction. The BBC said he was originally from Afghanistan and had arrived in 2016.
Police said their enquiries into the attack continued, and the 31-year-old woman was now in a stable condition in hospital.
Published 20 February 2024, 12:39 IST