Fights and drug dealing are on the rise near the spot in Harrow where a 19-year-old was reportedly stabbed in the back, a businesswoman has claimed.
Alveena Deen, who owns Xposure Beauty Salon, near South Harrow Tube station in Northolt Road, said there has been an increase in crime and antisocial behaviour in the area over recent years.
Her comments come after a teenager was taken to hospital in a critical condition after he was stabbed outside Kebabish takeaway at 5.10pm on Friday November 18.
Two businesses in the area also told getwestlondon they had heard the teen had been knifed in the back.
Ms Deen said she and her staff were were unaware of any incident until police came.
But she said: “There’s always problems happening outside here. There’s all sorts of drug-related problems and fights happeneing.
“There’s always bits and pieces and fights here.
"In the last two years we have noticed it happening more and more, and I have been here 10 years.
“On this incident we only got to know when the police arrived.
"Even though our windows face straight out there we didn’t see the stabbing because we were busy working.
“We heard that a young boy had been stabbed in the back.”
Sue Cohen works at Phillips & Phillips Solicitors.
She also said she had heard the victim had been stabbed in the back, but was unaware of the incident until she spotted flashing blue lights.
“No-one saw anything in our office” she said.
Police say the attack happened outside Kebabish takeaway.
A 17-year-old was also hurt and taken to hospital for a minor cut to his abdmomen.
'We didn't know what had happened'
A member of staff from Kebabish, who did not want to be named, said: “I was working in the shop at the time but we didn’t see or hear anything.
"We don’t know what had happened.
"The ambulance and police came and they took the injured person away and we were closed for the night.”
Arumugam Yoganathan, owner of Chicken Hut, a few doors down from Kebabish, said: “We didn’t know anything about it until the police came and shut the shop at around 5.30pm.
“We didn’t reopen again that evening, but opened as normal again on Saturday.”
Victim's bicycle recovered
Police say the older victim had been riding his bicycle shortly before the stabbing. This has been recovered.
At this early stage, it is thought he was attacked by a group of males, all of whom are described as black and believed to be aged in their teens or 20s.
Due to the severity of the victim’s injuries, detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating.
No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.
Police confirmed the 19-year-old remains in a critical condition.
Any witnesses or anyone with information should call the incident room at the Met Police on 020 8358 0400 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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