Imam’s plea for road safety at funerals of four men killed in crash

THOUSANDS OF people have attended the funerals of four young men who died when their car hit a tree while being pursued by the police.

Murtza Chaudhry and Arbaaz Hussain, both 21, Zeeshan Khalid, 20, and Tayyab Siddique, 22, died when the BMW they were travelling in crashed on Toller Lane in Bradford on Thursday.

All four were remembered by crowds of people in a park in the city on Saturday afternoon. Four hearses were driven into the packed field where the traditional prayers were said.

Speaking to the crowd, Imam Mohammed Asim said: whole of Bradford has rocked.”

He pointed to a number of similar incidents involving car crashes in the city and implored families to stop young men driving fast cars at speed.

The Imam said: “We cannot let “The been this happen again. Their whole lives were ahead of them. But you see what one moment of madness can do?”

Before the ceremony, Imran Hussain, the MP for Bradford East, said: “I knew the young men and I know their families. The whole community is absolutely shocked and continues to be shocked. This is an extremely tragic loss of four very liked young men and the whole community is in mourning. People have turned up in their thousands to stand with the families.”

The Independent Office for Police Conduct is investigating the crash and has said that the BMW was being followed because it was moving at speed.

In a statement released on Friday, the police watchdog confirmed that there was “no indication” that the police vehicle had made contact with the car prior to the accident.