Zombie knife ban: Family of Bedford murder victim call for more action

  • ITV News Anglia's Rosie Dowsing spoke to murder victim Ashish Nahar's aunt.

The family of a young man who died after being stabbed in the heart have welcomed a ban on zombie knives.

Ashish Nahar, 25, was attacked in June 2023 as he walked through Jubilee Park in Bedford with a friend, and died shortly after arriving at hospital.

His killer Kamil Serba was jailed in December for life with a minimum of 14-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to murder at Luton Crown Court.

From 24 September, it will be illegal to own zombie-style knives and machetes, closing loopholes in regulation which allowed sales to continue.

Speaking to ITV News Anglia, Mr Nahar's aunt Sheetal Lodhia said she welcomed the ban, however, the 25-year-old's family would like to see further action taken.

Ms Lodhia said: "I think it's important to identify the root cause of the problem.

"How are these young people and adults getting the knives?

"The zombie knife ban is needed and is the right thing to do, but I think the sentencing for vendors who are distributing the knives needs to be stricter."

Ms Lodhia said her "family-orientated cheeky chappy" nephew had been walking through his "favourite place" Jubilee Park after getting pizza with a friend.

Serba, 16, rode his bike up to him, stabbed him once in the heart and rode away, with Mr Nahar having no opportunity to defend himself.

Ms Lodhia said: "He didn't really have a chance of survival - it went straight to his heart.

"Ashish was our first born nephew. [Serba] took away our joy and laughter.

"Knife crime is something you hear about on the news, but you never think it would be on your doorstep.

"We were perhaps naive and never thought it would happen in a little town like Bedford.

"My message to people carrying knives would be 'just drop it'. You don't need it.

"Violence isn't the answer."

His family said Ashish Sachdev Nahar was a cheerful young man who had his life ahead of him. Credit: Bedfordshire Police

A knife amnesty scheme is running for four weeks - between 26 August and 23 September - before the ban comes into force.

People in possession of the weapons are being urged to contact their police station to get advice on how to package them up, before bringing them into the station.

There will be no repercussions for those surrendering these blades safely, according to the Home Office.

The government said anyone found with a zombie-style knife or a machete following the ban faces time behind bars.

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