Missing man’s body is found in Warwick river

THE body of missing Warwick man Sukhdev Lota has been pulled from the River Avon.

Mr Lota, 64, of Laburnum Grove, left a family address in Richardson Close on the evening of Monday April 11. Warwickshire Police had conducted a comprehensive search operation throughout the week involving officers, dogs and the force helicopter, and they made enquiries around the area and at places frequented by Mr Lota.

His family and members of the local community also got involved in the operation.

A police search involving officers, dogs and the force helicopter had been conducted and enquiries made at places frequented by Mr Lota.

Last week his family made an emotional plea for him to come home, with his son saying: “Dad, please come home.

“Whatever the issues, come back, we can sort everything out. We are all worried about you and miss you very much.

“Your grandson keeps asking for you and wants to know when he will see you again. He has said that he feels sad and misses his Dadaji.”

Warwickshire Police, with the assistance of Thames Valley Police specialist search and rescue team retrieved the body at 11am on Tuesday from the river near Kingfisher Pools and Myton Road.

A post mortem examination was expected to be carried out on Wednesday, but the results are not yet known.

Police are not treating the death as suspicious at this stage, but describing it as unexplained.

A police spokesman said that officers are keeping an open mind regarding how the person came to be in the water.

Mr Lota’s family would like to thank the media and public for their help and support during the past week but ask that they now be left in peace to come to terms with their loss.

Anyone with information or who may have seen anything suspicious near the river at Kingfisher Pools in the last few days should contact police on 415000 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800555111.

This is the second body to have been found in the river in recent months, with one discovered in the same stretch of river in December, although their identity was never released.