Body found in Thames confirmed to be of Clapham chemical attack suspect Abdul Shokoor Ezedi

The body discovered in the River Thames this week has been officially identified as Abdul Shokoor Ezedi, a suspect in a chemical attack, according to the Metropolitan Police.

Ezedi, 35, became the subject of a police search after allegedly attacking a woman and two girls in Clapham on January 31. CCTV footage showed him leaning over London's Chelsea Bridge.

A post-mortem examination conducted on Wednesday (Feb 21) confirmed that Ezedi's cause of death was drowning. His family has been notified, and the case will be handed over to the coroner, the police reported.

Met Police Commander Jon Savell stated that efforts were made to identify Ezedi promptly, and investigations into the attack continue. The 31-year-old woman injured in the assault is still hospitalized but in stable condition and no longer sedated.

Ezedi, originally from the Newcastle area, is accused of pouring a potent alkali on his ex-partner, injuring her two young children aged eight and three.

Police believe Ezedi fled the crime scene, initially using his bank card on the Tube and then walking alongside the River Thames. CCTV footage revealed he jumped into the river.

His car was seen in Newcastle shortly after midnight on the day of the attack, and by 06:30 GMT, he had traveled almost 300 miles to Tooting in south London. The vehicle was then spotted in Croydon at 16:30.

Investigators believe Ezedi, who arrived in the UK from Afghanistan in 2016, had a relationship with the woman and had arranged to meet her in London, possibly driven by the breakdown of their relationship.

The attack occurred around 25 minutes later in Lessar Avenue, Clapham, inside the vehicle, involving the use of a highly concentrated corrosive substance.

(With inputs from agencies)