Souvik Pal's father to leave for India with his body tomorrow

London, Jan 29: The father of Indian student Souvik Pal, who was found

in

in mysterious circumstances after going missing on the New Year eve, will be leaving for Bangalore with his body tomorrow.

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 condolence 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.

PTI