Open verdict for river death man

The body of Gurdial Singh Uppal, 58, of Freshwater Grove, Sydenham, was found in the river at Victoria Park on the afternoon of Saturday March 2 this year.

A man, who was with his two young sons, found the body and asked another member of the public to call the police.

Officers attended the scene and investigated Mr Uppal’s death but they found no evidence to suggest anything suspicious had happened and concluded that he had fallen in the river and could not get out.

A pathologist found that Mr Uppal had drowned and that he had no drugs or alcohol in his system at the time.

Two letters, one of which was from the Croft Medical Centre in Leamington stating that Mr Uppal was homeless, not very well and looking for an advance on his pension, and the other from the Night Shelter, showed that Mr Uppal was still alive up to February 28.

Mr Uppal’s son Sakminder, attending the inquest with other family members, said he had not seen or spoken to his father since 2009 but he had heard from someone he trusted that he was at the medical centre on February 28.

Recording an open verdict, coroner Sean McGovern said: “We don’t know how Mr Uppal died, he obviously drowned but the circumstances are not clear.

“We believe he fell in the river but there is insufficient evidence to say what happened.”

Addressing Mr Uppal’s son and daughter, Mr McGovern added: “I offer my condolences to yourself and your mother, it must have been a shock to you and to her.

“It is more difficult because we don’t know the cause.”

Sakminder said the family appreciated the efforts of the police and support services during what had been at a “trying time” for them.