Two charged with manslaughter over death of father killed by lorry while chasing robbers

 
Murder scene: Forensic officers in Barking Picture: Nigel Howard
Pa18 November 2013
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Two Lithuanians have been charged with the manslaughter of a father-of-two who was killed by a moving lorry after chasing robbers from his cash and carry store.

Shammi Atwal confronted gang members armed with metal bars and a sledgehammer and defended his wife during a robbery at their business in Barking, east London.

Vidmantas Gonskoves, 26, of Grange Road in West Ham, east London, and Aurimas Diliunas, 27, of Rosslyn Road, Barking, will appear at Redbridge Magistrates' Court tomorrow accused of manslaughter and robbery.

Death: Shammi Atwal, 44, was shoved into the road in the path of a truck

Mr Atwal, from Chigwell in Essex , believed to have been in his 40s, and his 37-year-old widow tried to fight back as they were being robbed on Monday.

Following an altercation, up to 10 suspects ran from the cash and carry and were followed by the victim.

Police believe he was pushed in front of a lorry and despite efforts to save his life, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigation: Police at the scene in Barking Picture: Nigel Howard

The lorry's driver stopped at the scene and was not arrested.

A post-mortem took place on Wednesday at Queen's Hospital in Romford, east London, and investigators are awaiting further toxicology results to the determine the exact cause of death.

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