A High Wycombe shopkeeper who was attacked over “Islamic pictures” in his store has spoken of the pain he experienced after he was stabbed in the shoulder.
A trial got underway this week after 69-year-old Murtaza Ahmed attacked shopkeeper Charan Singh while he was working in his store, CM Communications, at the Chilterns Shopping Centre on February 16.
Ahmed, of Chichester Close, has admitted to a charge of wounding, but denies wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, after he stabbed Mr Singh in the shoulder.
READ MORE: Shopkeeper stabbed over 'Islamic pictures' in Chilterns Shopping Centre
At the time of the incident, lockdown restrictions were in place and Mr Singh was not allowing customers into his shop, instead serving them on a click and collect basis through a window to his shop inside the shopping centre.
When prosecutor Tim Nutley asked Mr Singh to recall what happened the day he was attacked, he said: “He (Ahmed) said to me can you come outside, and I said we are not allowed to meet each other.
“He asks if I can show him a clock. I look to see where he’s pointing at and I just put my head to the side to see where he meant, then he pulls from his bag a knife and hits me in my shoulder.
“He put his hand on the bag and then he pulls it out and then he’s hit me. Then I see he’s got big knife in hand. It was very painful.
“I called the security guard quickly and then the security guard called the police straight away.”
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The court heard how Mr Singh suffered a 3cm wound to his shoulder, which was glued together in hospital. He had to take three days off work to recover before returning to run the shop.
The jury were then shown CCTV footage from inside Mr Singh’s shop on the day of the incident. The video showed Mr Singh talking to Mr Ahmed through the hatch, and then shows Ahmed attack Mr Singh with a knife.
In the footage, Mr Singh retreats back into the shop, out of Ahmed’s reach, while Ahmed attempts to lean through the window, waving the knife at his victim. Ahmed does not enter the shop during the incident.
Speaking as the footage played, Mr Singh said: “He tried to come inside the shop to hit me more.
“He said to me ‘open the door, open the door.’”
Yesterday, the court heard how Ahmed took issue with “Islamic frames” which were on sale in Mr Singh’s shop. The pictures pay tribute to Allah and are meant to bring the owner good luck.
Hearing from the victim yesterday, Mr Singh told the jury how Ahmed had been visiting his shop for several months and had been ordering him to change the way he displayed the pictures.
He said: “Every time he came to the shop, he says to me put this frame this side, this frame that side.
“He said put the frame upstairs, downstairs, right-hand-side, left-hand-side, and don’t put something else with them.
“He brought people from the mosque as well and I asked them have I done anything wrong? They said no and they explained to him as well and he didn’t listen.”
Ahmed has admitted to a charge of wounding but has pleaded not guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The trial continues.
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