Rotherham attack victim Parvaiz Iqbal was 'good lad'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-24551556

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Tributes have been paid to a butcher who died in a suspected machete attack in Rotherham that left another man seriously injured.

The dead man, named locally as 40-year-old Parvaiz Iqbal, was found injured in his shop on Grosvenor Road, Eastwood, on Tuesday.

Abdul Qayum, a friend of the family, said Mr Iqbal was "a very good lad".

A 27-year-old man arrested on suspicion of his murder remains in police custody.

A 40-year-old man from Sheffield who was found seriously injured at the scene of the attack is in hospital where his condition is described as stable.

'Good family'

Floral tributes have been laid outside the shop where Mr Iqbal died.

People living near the scene were "very sad" about Mr Iqbal's death, said Mr Qayum.

"He was a good lad, a very good lad. They are a very good family. I only saw him yesterday when I came to his shop," he said.

Mahroof Hussain, a cousin of Mr Iqbal's mother, said the shop was particularly busy at the time of the attack due to preparations for Eid.

Mr Iqbal was seen entering the shop's fridge and was followed by his attacker, said Mr Hussain.

"Obviously something was happening and other workers came in to prevent it," he said.

"Another guy working upstairs heard the commotion and the man with the knife went outside."

A man was later arrested near a Tesco store on suspicion of murder.

'Everybody loved him'

Mr Iqbal was very popular with his customers, said Mr Hussain.

"Parvaiz was a normal guy, doing his normal business, preparing for a really busy period," he said.

"Everybody loved him. Old ladies would come in and he would have a laugh with everyone. This has come out of the blue."

South Yorkshire Police said the force would maintain a "large presence" in Eastwood throughout Wednesday.

"Officers also want to reassure the local community that at this stage police do not believe there is any additional risk to members of the public," a spokesman said.

A post-mortem examination is due to take place later.