Indian student found dead in Britain 'wasn't attacked'

Souvik Pal, an 18-year-old student at Manchester Metropolitan University in northwest England, had been missing since New Year's Eve after celebrating with friends at a nightclub in the city.

Tragic end: Souvik Pal, a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, disappeared during at night out on New Year's Eve. Pic/AFP

Police said his body was found in a canal in the Old Trafford area of the city, which is home to the stadium of Manchester United Football Club.

Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin of Greater Manchester Police said, "Our thoughts and condolences are with Souvik's family at this devastating time and our officers are doing all they can to support them.

We do not believe there are any suspicious circumstances surrounding Souvik's death and a file will be submitted to the coroner in due course."

Post mortem tests on Souvik's body have proved inconclusive, police said. "We are shocked to hear that Souvik is no more after his father (Shantanu Pal) identified the decomposed body, which was recovered from the Westbridge canal in Manchester by search divers," Pal's family friend said later.

"We have no further details. Souvik's family is yet to come to terms with the tragic incident after an agonising three week-long wait. Shantanu called his wife (Mahuya Pal) and broke the sad news that he was asked by the police to identify a body found in the canal," the friend said.

Pal's father Shantanu had flown from the family's home in Bangalore to help with the police search. Police will hand over Souvik's body after the autopsy so that the family could decide whether to perform the last rites. u00a0