London, An Indian-origin man in Britain has been convicted of the attempted murder of a woman and child, who were stabbed and rushed to hospital over a year ago.
Kulvinder Ram, 48, was found guilty of attempting to kill the woman and child in Dagenham in October 2024 after a four-week trial at the Old Bailey court in London on Tuesday.
He was also found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm on a second child during the attack.
“This is a particularly distressing case and my thoughts remain with the victims as they continue to process what happened that day,” said Detective Constable Lewis Whitlock, who led the investigation for the Metropolitan Police.
“Our investigation left us with no doubt that Ram intended to kill those he targeted, and we are pleased the jury has reached the same verdict based on the evidence we presented at court,” he said.
He went on to praise the efforts of an off-duty officer from the Met Police’s Special Constabulary, who saw the woman and child running in the road covered in blood on his way home from work.
Special Police Sergeant Seff Serroukh stepped in to apprehend Ram at the scene, fearing for the safety of others.
“I must also recognise the role of SPS Serroukh, who ran towards danger without any hesitation for his own personal safety. Without him, I have no doubt that Ram would have gone on to inflict further and most likely fatal injuries.
“His actions reflect the very best of the Met. His bravery must be commended and I know the family extend their thanks to him too,” said Whitlock.
The detective also hailed the efforts of a member of the public who ran into the house in Dagenham and attempted to stem the bleeding of one of the victims, playing a major role in saving their life.
“Again, his efforts should be applauded and we hope he recognises how grateful we are for his intervention,” added Whitlock.
The trial heard that all three victims suffered serious injuries that required surgery. One of the victims was so badly injured that doctors feared they would not survive, and they remained in critical condition for several days.
From a distance, the off-duty officer thought he was witnessing a Halloween prank, but as he got closer, he realised the severity of the attack.
“I quickly ran towards them and was immediately struck by the extent of their injuries and the amount of blood. When I became aware children were involved, I knew I had to act quickly,” said SPS Serroukh.
“I had no safety equipment, no colleagues to assist, but as a father and a police officer, it was just a natural instinct to respond without hesitation, even without knowing the risk.
“As I approached the house, the suspect left the property and I managed to place him onto the ground with his hands behind his back, which was difficult as he was bigger and heavier than me,” he shared.
Serroukh was on the phone with the emergency services and managed to keep Ram detained until his on-duty colleagues arrived to take the suspect into custody.
“Most importantly, the victims survived and I’m just glad someone was there to help when needed,” said the sergeant, with reference to his “hardest” encounter over a six-year police career.
The court heard that Ram was suffering from what was undiagnosed schizophrenia at the time of the attack, but not to the extent that he did not know what he was doing. He had started to believe that he was being watched by cameras and had grown increasingly paranoid in the days leading up to the attack.
The Met Police said his behaviour had also become “increasingly erratic”, including threatening to kill one of the victims two weeks previously. Following the attack, Ram was arrested and remanded in custody until trial.
Following his conviction this week, Ram is set to be sentenced at the Old Bailey court in the coming days. PTI AK ZH
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