187:'s, where they remained for about twenty minutes. The children had complained of sore throats, so she decided to go to buy cough medicine at Putney High Street. Vishal said he was tired and wanted to walk home by himself. Carvalho consented, feeling he was independent enough to make the journey. She took him across the main road pedestrian crossing and then left him to walk the rest of the way while she took Mamta to buy the cough medicine.
335:. The man stated that he had informed the Metropolitan Police but they had not followed up his report. Vishambar gave a recording of the telephone conversation to detectives; however, they dismissed it as a prank call and it was not followed up. The location of Vishal's disappearance was less than a mile from Elm Guest House.
295:
Police's paedophile unit had concluded there were "strong similarities" between Vishal’s case and the gang's known killings. It is known that some members of the gang had boasted in prison of killing an 'Asian boy', and it was reported in 2015 that investigators were now looking into whether this could have been Vishal.
342:
after Carl Beech, a purported abuse survivor, told detectives that he had been abused by a paedophile ring and he had seen them murder three boys. Beech was later determined to have used his work computer to access newspaper articles speculating on connections between Vishal's murder and the alleged
270:
began to investigate whether Vishal could have been another of the gang's victims. The gang was known to have killed at least three similarly-aged boys after abducting them in London in the 1980s, and always abducted them in broad daylight as in Vishal’s case. It also appeared from Vishal’s remains
242:
Following the discovery, a large scale excavation and search involving about thirty police officers took place. This uncovered more bones, though no clothing was found. The bones were taken to London for forensic investigation. Initially, police believed that the body had been buried around 29 July
190:
Carvalho and Mamta returned home at about 3:00 PM. Vishambar was asleep in bed, but there was no sign of Vishal. Believing he had gone out to play, Carvalho and Mamta took naps until 4:30 PM. When she awoke and found Vishal had still not returned, she explained the situation to his father. The two
294:
released documents relating to a review of the murder they had carried out in 2005. The force's report on the case revealed that other police forces had in fact investigated links between Vishal’s death and Sidney Cooke's gang on three occasions. The report also revealed that the
Metropolitan
379:
A three year investigation by BBC journalist Colin
Campbell suggested a possible connection between Vishal's death and a paedophile ring with links to Sussex and West London. Some members of the group were jailed in 1998 for sexual offences against children at Muntham House School, near
356:
tracked down
Douglass and questioned him on why he named the document 'Vishal'. Douglass said: "It's the first that came into my head because it had been in the press. massive publicity and at the time." and "It was the first Asian name I could think of. That's the honest truth."
330:
A few months after his son's disappearance, Vishambar
Mehrotra claimed to have been contacted by an unidentified man thought to be in his twenties. This man suggested that Vishal's abduction had been connected to a group of influential paedophiles associated with
351:
Circa 2019, while interviewing
Nicholas Douglass about an unrelated crime, Sussex Police were told about a document he had written entitled 'Vishal', written by in 1983 while he was in jail for sexual abuse of children at a school. In 2020,
180:, where they arrived around 1:40 PM. Vishambar was tired and went directly home, leaving his son and daughter with Carvalho. He gave each of them ÂŁ20 (equivalent to ÂŁ78.63 in 2024) to buy sweets.
203:
The initial police investigation involved searching the vicinity of the disappearance from the air with a thermal camera, as well as ground searches of common land and the
978:
215:
by a racist gang. Between the disappearance and the discovery of the body the police investigated hundreds of sightings and interviewed over 14,000 people.
674:
207:. Initially it was thought that Vishal could have tried to travel to India, though his family doubted this, and this line of inquiry was investigated by
840:
825:
169:
1095:
406:
149:
from her husband and moved back to India to manage a jewellery business at the time of the disappearance. The family lived on
Holmbush Road,
298:
Roger
Stoodley, who retired as the detective leading the Cooke investigation in 1992, stated in 2014 that the disappearances of Vishal and
1060:
1040:
191:
made enquiries of neighbours to whether they had seen the boy. When they could not find Vishal by 7 PM, he was reported missing to the
160:
Vishal was described as bright and independent, with an open, friendly personality. He travelled to his school every day on his own.
635:
271:
that he had been buried naked, indicating a sexual element to the killing. The "Dirty Dozen" investigative team held a meeting with
1070:
411:
283:
792:
1080:
321:
251:
Police initially believed that Vishal may have been abducted by someone with local knowledge of the
Durleigh Marsh Farm area.
364:"The mere fact that it has got Vishal's name on it is amazing and astounding that they don't think it is important enough."
1075:
343:
paedophile ring. In July 2019 he was convicted of charges related to lying to police and he was jailed for eighteen years.
114:, London, England, on 29 July 1981. The child's partial remains were discovered on 25 February 1982 on an isolated farm in
1090:
1030:
473:
606:
1065:
716:
461:
Lee, Alfred (20 September 1981). "MISSING BOY'S MOTHER FLIES 4,000 MILES TO PRAY AT A HINDU TEMPLE". Sunday
Express.
1085:
1055:
1100:
1045:
678:
133:
Vishal
Mehrotra was born in India on 27 September 1972, and emigrated to the United Kingdom with his family from
17:
438:
897:
157:. Vishal had a younger sister, who was named Mamta. The children also had a live-in nanny, Joannita Carvalho.
299:
223:
On 21 February 1982 two men, who were shooting pigeons, discovered a skull, seven rib bones and a section of
416:
176:
in order to watch the wedding from the window of Vishambar's workplace. They then took the train back to
675:"Full Text from the Sussex Police Report; 'Inquiry into Suspicious Death of VISHAL MEHROTRA', 1983"
422:
264:
1050:
1035:
428:
384:, West Sussex, in the 1970s and 1980s. The findings of the investigation were serialised in the
332:
8:
401:
260:
192:
902:
819:
146:
951:
925:
732:
524:
498:
118:. The killers were never identified and no one has ever been charged with the murder.
800:
712:
643:
339:
325:
287:
474:"Paedophile Sidney Cooke's potential links to murder of boy, 8, ignored by police"
267:
106:(27 September 1972 – on or after 29 July 1981) was an eight-year-old boy who was
607:"Paedophile ring allegations: police are failing us, murdered boy's father says"
235:. The bones appeared to have been disturbed by foxes and were found buried in a
304:
869:"Abuse accuser Carl Beech 'shown images of potential victims by BBC reporter'"
765:
1024:
804:
647:
419:– another 1981 abduction and murder of a child in west London, solved in 2013
291:
272:
122:
1003:
979:"Father of boy murdered 42 years ago urges PM to order fresh investigation"
845:
204:
154:
431:– unsolved 1994 case in which a 13-year-old British girl disappeared from
232:
211:. Police additionally investigated the possibility that the boy had been
868:
309:
212:
142:
107:
841:"Police child abuse inquiries: Operation Yewtree to Operation Midland"
275:
at the time but no concrete evidence was found to link the enquiries.
499:"Vishal Mehrotra: Killed boy's family cannot forgive police inaction"
432:
224:
184:
138:
134:
952:"Vishal Mehrotra: Father pleads for fresh inquiry into son's murder"
360:
In 2020, with an interview with the BBC, Vishambar Mehrotra stated:
926:"Vishal Mehrotra: Sussex Police to re-examine case of murdered boy"
873:
525:"Vishal Mehrotra: Sussex Police to re-examine case of murdered boy"
208:
898:"U.K. Man Who Made Up Child Abuse Claims Is Sentenced to 18 Years"
791:
O’Neill, David Brown, Georgie Keate and Sean (20 November 2014).
381:
282:
reported that the Metropolitan Police had referred itself to the
709:
Lambs to the Slaughter: A Web of Evil to Rival the Moors Murders
228:
177:
173:
150:
115:
111:
59:
441:– unsolved abduction that occurred near to Mehrotra's in 1986
78:
766:"Vishal Mehrotra: father wants son's murder case reopened"
353:
279:
263:
unit that had been investigating suspected serial killer
236:
668:
666:
664:
369:
Vishambar Mehrotra, father of the late Vishal Mehrotra
141:
at the time of the disappearance and is now a retired
636:"Murdered boy's father says police ignored informant"
579:"Tragic end to missing boy hunt – Skeleton mystery".
793:"Paedophile gang 'may have killed 17 more children'"
605:
Laville, Sandra; Halliday, Josh (19 November 2014).
290:
in relation to the case. Subsequently, in May 2015,
661:
760:
758:
756:
754:
1022:
456:
454:
170:wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer
604:
137:in 1978. His father, Vishambar Mehrotra, was a
125:announced they would be re-examining the case.
751:
435:and was found one year later in a nearby canal
451:
346:
824:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
338:Vishal's murder was investigated as part of
246:
706:
163:
702:
700:
698:
696:
172:, the Mehrotra family took the train into
976:
838:
832:
284:Independent Police Complaints Commission
254:
218:
198:
790:
733:"Boy's 1981 death to be probed by IPCC"
693:
633:
14:
1096:July 1981 events in the United Kingdom
1023:
895:
322:Elm Guest House claims and controversy
27:1981 unsolved British murder in London
711:. London: Warner Books. p. 184.
574:
572:
570:
568:
566:
471:
265:Sidney Cooke's infamous "Dirty Dozen"
227:at Alder Copse, Durleigh Marsh Farm,
629:
627:
600:
598:
596:
594:
592:
590:
564:
562:
560:
558:
556:
554:
552:
550:
548:
546:
315:
707:Oliver, Ted; Smith, Ramsay (1993).
460:
407:List of solved missing person cases
24:
1061:Incidents of violence against boys
1041:1981 murders in the United Kingdom
784:
634:O’Neill, Sean (19 November 2014).
145:. His mother, Aruna Mehrotra, had
25:
1112:
839:Grierson, Jamie (4 August 2015).
624:
587:
543:
465:
374:
977:Halliday, Josh (19 April 2023).
672:
425:– a similar 1994 murder of a boy
183:Carvalho took the children to a
168:On 29 July 1981, the day of the
1071:Missing person cases in England
996:
970:
944:
918:
889:
861:
725:
472:Corke, Jonathan (30 May 2015).
239:at a depth of around two feet.
896:Karasz, Palko (28 July 2019).
517:
491:
439:Disappearance of Suzy Lamplugh
13:
1:
1081:Indian people murdered abroad
445:
128:
7:
1076:Unsolved murders in England
417:Murder of Claire Woolterton
395:
91:Vishambar Mehrotra (father)
10:
1117:
1091:Deaths by person in London
1031:1980s missing person cases
347:Links to Nicholas Douglass
319:
1066:Kidnapped Indian children
302:were in keeping with the
286:following allegations of
247:Subsequent investigations
84:
74:
66:
53:
41:
34:
423:Murder of Daniel Handley
412:List of unsolved murders
164:Day of the disappearance
1086:Child murder in England
1056:Formerly missing people
429:Murder of Lindsay Rimer
94:Aruna Mehrotra (mother)
1101:British Indian history
1046:1980s crimes in London
372:
362:
259:In the late 1980s, a
255:Links to Sidney Cooke
219:Discovery of the body
199:Initial investigation
57:29 July 1981 (aged 8)
402:List of kidnappings
278:In March 2015, the
261:Metropolitan Police
193:Metropolitan Police
903:The New York Times
340:Operation Midland
326:Operation Midland
316:Operation Midland
101:
100:
62:, London, England
45:27 September 1972
16:(Redirected from
1108:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1011:
1000:
994:
993:
991:
989:
974:
968:
967:
965:
963:
948:
942:
941:
939:
937:
922:
916:
915:
913:
911:
893:
887:
886:
884:
882:
865:
859:
858:
856:
854:
836:
830:
829:
823:
815:
813:
811:
788:
782:
781:
779:
777:
762:
749:
748:
746:
744:
729:
723:
722:
704:
691:
690:
688:
686:
677:. Archived from
670:
659:
658:
656:
654:
631:
622:
621:
619:
617:
602:
585:
584:
576:
541:
540:
538:
536:
521:
515:
514:
512:
510:
495:
489:
488:
486:
484:
469:
463:
462:
458:
370:
70:25 February 1982
32:
31:
21:
1116:
1115:
1111:
1110:
1109:
1107:
1106:
1105:
1021:
1020:
1019:
1009:
1007:
1006:. 17 April 2023
1002:
1001:
997:
987:
985:
975:
971:
961:
959:
950:
949:
945:
935:
933:
924:
923:
919:
909:
907:
894:
890:
880:
878:
867:
866:
862:
852:
850:
837:
833:
817:
816:
809:
807:
789:
785:
775:
773:
764:
763:
752:
742:
740:
731:
730:
726:
719:
705:
694:
684:
682:
671:
662:
652:
650:
632:
625:
615:
613:
603:
588:
583:. 4 March 1982.
578:
577:
544:
534:
532:
523:
522:
518:
508:
506:
505:. 18 April 2023
497:
496:
492:
482:
480:
470:
466:
459:
452:
448:
398:
392:in April 2023.
377:
371:
368:
349:
333:Elm Guest House
328:
320:Main articles:
318:
268:paedophile ring
257:
249:
221:
201:
166:
131:
104:Vishal Mehrotra
97:
67:Body discovered
58:
49:
46:
37:
36:Vishal Mehrotra
28:
23:
22:
18:Vishal Mehrotra
15:
12:
11:
5:
1114:
1104:
1103:
1098:
1093:
1088:
1083:
1078:
1073:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1053:
1051:British Hindus
1048:
1043:
1038:
1036:1981 in London
1033:
1018:
1017:
995:
969:
958:. 13 July 2020
943:
917:
888:
877:. 28 July 2019
860:
831:
783:
770:Channel 4 News
750:
739:. 3 March 2015
724:
717:
692:
681:on 19 May 2016
660:
623:
586:
542:
516:
490:
464:
449:
447:
444:
443:
442:
436:
426:
420:
414:
409:
404:
397:
394:
376:
375:Other theories
373:
366:
348:
345:
317:
314:
305:modus operandi
256:
253:
248:
245:
220:
217:
200:
197:
165:
162:
130:
127:
99:
98:
96:
95:
92:
88:
86:
82:
81:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
55:
51:
50:
47:
43:
39:
38:
35:
26:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1113:
1102:
1099:
1097:
1094:
1092:
1089:
1087:
1084:
1082:
1079:
1077:
1074:
1072:
1069:
1067:
1064:
1062:
1059:
1057:
1054:
1052:
1049:
1047:
1044:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1029:
1028:
1026:
1005:
999:
984:
980:
973:
957:
953:
947:
932:. 11 May 2023
931:
927:
921:
905:
904:
899:
892:
876:
875:
870:
864:
848:
847:
842:
835:
827:
821:
806:
802:
798:
794:
787:
772:. 4 June 2015
771:
767:
761:
759:
757:
755:
738:
734:
728:
720:
718:0-7515-0337-1
714:
710:
703:
701:
699:
697:
680:
676:
669:
667:
665:
649:
645:
641:
637:
630:
628:
612:
608:
601:
599:
597:
595:
593:
591:
582:
575:
573:
571:
569:
567:
565:
563:
561:
559:
557:
555:
553:
551:
549:
547:
531:. 11 May 2023
530:
526:
520:
504:
500:
494:
479:
475:
468:
457:
455:
450:
440:
437:
434:
430:
427:
424:
421:
418:
415:
413:
410:
408:
405:
403:
400:
399:
393:
391:
387:
383:
365:
361:
358:
355:
344:
341:
336:
334:
327:
323:
313:
311:
307:
306:
301:
296:
293:
292:Sussex Police
289:
285:
281:
276:
274:
273:Sussex Police
269:
266:
262:
252:
244:
240:
238:
234:
230:
226:
216:
214:
210:
206:
196:
194:
188:
186:
181:
179:
175:
171:
161:
158:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
126:
124:
123:Sussex Police
121:In May 2023,
119:
117:
113:
109:
105:
93:
90:
89:
87:
83:
80:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
56:
52:
44:
40:
33:
30:
19:
1008:. Retrieved
998:
986:. Retrieved
983:The Guardian
982:
972:
960:. Retrieved
955:
946:
934:. Retrieved
929:
920:
908:. Retrieved
901:
891:
879:. Retrieved
872:
863:
851:. Retrieved
846:The Guardian
844:
834:
808:. Retrieved
796:
786:
774:. Retrieved
769:
741:. Retrieved
736:
727:
708:
683:. Retrieved
679:the original
673:Curd, G. H.
651:. Retrieved
639:
614:. Retrieved
611:The Guardian
610:
580:
533:. Retrieved
528:
519:
507:. Retrieved
502:
493:
481:. Retrieved
478:Daily Mirror
477:
467:
389:
385:
378:
363:
359:
350:
337:
329:
303:
300:Martin Allen
297:
277:
258:
250:
241:
222:
205:River Thames
202:
189:
182:
167:
159:
155:South London
132:
120:
103:
102:
29:
308:of Cooke's
233:Petersfield
178:East Putney
75:Nationality
54:Disappeared
1025:Categories
581:The Herald
446:References
386:BBC Sounds
310:paedophile
288:corruption
143:magistrate
129:Background
820:cite news
810:21 August
805:0140-0460
797:The Times
743:18 August
653:19 August
648:0140-0460
640:The Times
616:18 August
483:18 August
433:Yorkshire
225:vertebrae
185:newsagent
147:separated
139:solicitor
135:Sri Lanka
1004:"Vishal"
956:BBC News
930:BBC News
906:. London
874:BBC News
849:. London
737:BBC News
685:18 March
529:BBC News
509:18 April
503:BBC News
396:See also
388:podcast
367:—
213:abducted
209:Interpol
108:abducted
962:3 March
936:3 March
910:26 July
853:28 July
776:7 April
382:Horsham
231:, near
85:Parents
881:29 May
803:
715:
646:
535:11 May
390:Vishal
312:gang.
243:1981.
229:Rogate
174:London
151:Putney
116:Sussex
112:Putney
79:Indian
60:Putney
1010:1 May
988:1 May
110:from
48:India
1012:2023
990:2023
964:2024
938:2024
912:2019
883:2019
855:2019
826:link
812:2018
801:ISSN
778:2022
745:2018
713:ISBN
687:2021
655:2018
644:ISSN
618:2018
537:2023
511:2023
485:2018
324:and
42:Born
354:BBC
280:BBC
237:bog
1027::
981:.
954:.
928:.
900:.
871:.
843:.
822:}}
818:{{
799:.
795:.
768:.
753:^
735:.
695:^
663:^
642:.
638:.
626:^
609:.
589:^
545:^
527:.
501:.
476:.
453:^
195:.
153:,
1014:.
992:.
966:.
940:.
914:.
885:.
857:.
828:)
814:.
780:.
747:.
721:.
689:.
657:.
620:.
539:.
513:.
487:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.