The Independent Police Complaints Commission has now launched an inquiry into the case to examine the family's claims. (File Photo)
London:
The UK's police watchdog today launched an investigation into Scotland Yard's handling of the death of an Indian-origin teenager last year.
Krishna Chummun had been reported missing last August after he failed to return to his north London home from a football match.
His body was recovered from the river Thames in central London last October.
His parents, Chandra and Medha Chummun, have criticised the Metropolitan Police over its handling of the case because the body of the 19-year-old business studies student lay in a morgue for months and was officially identified only in December 2015, the 'Evening Standard' reported.
They also claim officers assumed their son had committed suicide because he had earlier sent a text from his phone saying he planned to kill himself.
"My son has been treated unfairly. I want justice for him because I assure you there is no possibility of him committing suicide. The police have not done enough," Medha told the newspaper.
His father added: "He was always jovial and happy. I am a psychiatric-trained nurse and if my son was suicidal I would have known. He was full of life. We believe from day one that the police did not take this case seriously. They just put it down as a suicide and did not investigate."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has now launched an inquiry into the case to examine the family's claims.
The Metropolitan police said there were serious difficulties in identifying Krishna because his body was severely decomposed after being in the water for so long, and because he had been wearing a different shoe size and clothes to those he had been wearing when reported missing.
He had to be identified through DNA analysis.
A Metropolitan spokesperson said: "Officers interviewed several people close to Mr Chummun, conducted house-to-house enquiries and completed mobile phone cell site analysis in an effort to locate him.
"We continue to investigate Chummun's unexplained death and should any further information come to light it will be pursued rigorously," he added.
"We would again like to emphasise our sympathy to the family and acknowledge their loss," said the spokesperson.
Krishna Chummun had been reported missing last August after he failed to return to his north London home from a football match.
His body was recovered from the river Thames in central London last October.
His parents, Chandra and Medha Chummun, have criticised the Metropolitan Police over its handling of the case because the body of the 19-year-old business studies student lay in a morgue for months and was officially identified only in December 2015, the 'Evening Standard' reported.
They also claim officers assumed their son had committed suicide because he had earlier sent a text from his phone saying he planned to kill himself.
"My son has been treated unfairly. I want justice for him because I assure you there is no possibility of him committing suicide. The police have not done enough," Medha told the newspaper.
His father added: "He was always jovial and happy. I am a psychiatric-trained nurse and if my son was suicidal I would have known. He was full of life. We believe from day one that the police did not take this case seriously. They just put it down as a suicide and did not investigate."
The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has now launched an inquiry into the case to examine the family's claims.
The Metropolitan police said there were serious difficulties in identifying Krishna because his body was severely decomposed after being in the water for so long, and because he had been wearing a different shoe size and clothes to those he had been wearing when reported missing.
He had to be identified through DNA analysis.
A Metropolitan spokesperson said: "Officers interviewed several people close to Mr Chummun, conducted house-to-house enquiries and completed mobile phone cell site analysis in an effort to locate him.
"We continue to investigate Chummun's unexplained death and should any further information come to light it will be pursued rigorously," he added.
"We would again like to emphasise our sympathy to the family and acknowledge their loss," said the spokesperson.
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