Toronto man killed in British town

Sivananthan had travelled to Germany from Canada on Dec. 30 with his parents to visit his younger sister, who recently had a baby, said his sister Sinthuja Suresh.

Thames Valley Police have charged three men and a 17-year-old boy with murder.

The accused appeared in court Thursday.

CBC Toronto contacted Thames Valley Police but the force declined to provide further details

Suresh said her family is distraught, and that British authorities have provided little information.

"He came all the way from Canada to there, not to die," she told CBC Toronto. "We still don't know what really happened to him."

"We saw the news. They found a body. But what really happened to him?"

He later travelled to London, England to visit friends, and was due back in Germany before returning to Toronto with his parents early next week, she said.

According to MKCitizen News, a call was made to local police to report concerns for Suren’s safety some 16 hours before he died.

MKCitizen news said Suren had travelled from Canada specifically to visit his girlfriend, who is said to have been married previosuly. The news further said that his body was found by a shopworker who had gone to open up the nearby Co-op store.

Four people charged in connection with the alleged murder are Gnanachandran Balachandran, 37, from Springfield, Kiroraj Yogarajah, 30, from Grange Farm, Prashanth Thevarasa, 23, of Farrier Place, Downs Barn and a 17 year old boy, MKCitizen News reports said.

One of the posts of the Facebook account of Thames Valley Police says, “The following is a tribute released on behalf of the family of Suren Sivananthan, from Canada, who was found deceased in St Leger Drive, Great Linford, Milton Keynes, on Saturday (21/1).

“Suren was thoughtful, caring, and very hardworking. He was someone that valued the relationship with his family and friends. You could always count on Suren to be there for you when you most needed someone.

“Laughing came naturally to him and he knew how to bring joy to someone even during the most difficult time. He was always making jokes and definitely the life of a party.

“Suren was very athletic and enjoyed playing various sports, some of which include cricket, volleyball, basketball, etc.

“Suren was very humble, he had taken the initiative to fundraise money for the people that were in dire need of support during the tsunami in Sri Lanka.”

Sivananthan played for several cricket teams in the Markham Toronto Cricket League since 2009, the league said.

"We are saddened to lose a great human being in such tragedy,"  a spokesperson for the league told CBC Toronto in an email.

"He is a quiet gentleman in the grounds and a passionate cricketer. His love for cricket was respected by all of the members in our league."

Suresh is struggling to tell her young children what happened.

She said funeral arrangements will be made after her parents and sister arrive in Toronto.

"I never thought in my life I would plan my brother's funeral," said Suresh, CBCNews reports said.

(Reported by Asha Bajaj, Image of Suren Sivananthan: Facebook)