Souvik Pal's father to bring back body to India tomorrow

London: The father of Indian student Souvik Pal, who was found dead in Manchester in mysterious circumstances after going missing on the New Year eve, will be leaving for Bangalore with his body on Wednesday.

19-year-old Souvik, a student of Manchester Metropolitan University, had been missing since a New Year's Eve party in Trafford, Greater Manchester, until his body was discovered by police in a canal last week.

"The body is with the funeral director now and he is preparing for me to leave with it tomorrow afternoon. We will arrive in Bangalore on Wednesday morning," said Santanu Pal, who has been collecting his son's belongings from the university.

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin of Greater Manchester Police has said that the police believe it is a "tragic accident" but returned to the Warehouse Project, the club Souvik was seen leaving on New Year's Eve, over the weekend to piece together his final movements.

A post-mortem had proved inconclusive and further toxicology test results are awaited.

Two books of condolences have been opened for the product design student on his university's campus for fellow students to pay their tributes.

Vice Chancellor John Brooks led the tributes to a "special person" who he described as an "affable young man" and "fine student with great potential."

A bound book of thoughts and memories will be handed over to the family.

"We have nothing further on the cause of his death but the Indian consulate in Birmingham has been very helpful. They have written to the police on our behalf," Souvik's father added.

His football fan son had trained for a part-time job serving refreshments at Manchester United's Old Trafford stadium.

Souvik disappeared on a night out at the Warehouse Project in Trafford and was reported missing by a flatmate the following morning.

Souvik was found dead by specialist officers in Bridgewater Canal, near the Old Trafford ground.

His father, who has described Souvik as "a good swimmer and athlete", believes he would have been able to swim to safety with ease as the canal is not very deep.

He hopes the police will be able solve the "jigsaw puzzle" of his son's mysterious death.

Souvik's grandfather, Alokranjan Pal, had written to the UK Department of Health urging a murder inquiry.

A department spokesperson said that Conservative MP Anna Soubry, an under-secretary in the department, has written a "personal letter of condolence" to the family and assured them that the police would investigate the circumstances surrounding the death.