Candlelit vigil held for shopkeeper Vijay Patel, 49, killed in north London

Vijay Patel vigil: Large crowds were pictured surrounding the front of his shop
MPS Barnet/Twitter

Dozens gathered for a candlelit vigil for a shopkeeper who was killed after refusing to serve under-aged customers.

Large crowds were pictured surrounding the front of the shop Rota Express in Mill Hill Broadway, north London, where he worked, on Saturday evening.

Vijay Patel, 49, was knocked to the ground and suffered a fatal head wound in the late-night attack outside the shop last Saturday, police said.

The father-of-two spent nearly two days on a life support machine before he was pronounced dead on Monday evening.

“Lovely man”: Vijay Patel with his wife Vibha

Police on Wednesday arrested two teenage boys, aged 15 and 16, on suspicion of violent disorder in connection to the incident.

They were bailed on Friday.

Another teenage boy, 16, who was charged with murder in connection with the attack, appeared at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on the same day.

He was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on January 12.

Mr Patel, who lived in Kingsbury, had moved to London from India in 2006 to provide a better life for his wife Vibha and their two sons Neel and Dhruv, his family said on Tuesday.

His brother Prakash, 47, told the Daily Mail: “He was the greatest man in the world. He always wanted to help and do the right thing.”

Anyone with any information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact the Incident Room on 020 8358 0200 - you can tweet information to @MetCC. Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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