Two 'good family men' died in 140 mph M1 crash

 
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Friends of two men who died in a 140mph “race” on the M1 told of their shock today and paid tribute to the victims.

Six others were injured when two BMWs collided near Watford at 2.30am yesterday. One of the victims was named by friends as Mizanur Rahman, a former Stepney Green School pupil from Tower Hamlets who went by the nickname “Muzza”.

In Twitter tributes the other man was referred to as “Guljar, aka G-Man”.

One friend, also called Mizanur Rahman, director of the Twydall Tandoori restaurant in Gillingham, Kent, said: “They were great guys. I used to have a laugh with them. I saw Mizanur two months ago and then today I saw this story about the crash. It’s shocking.”

Another former school friend, who did not want to be named, said: “We are hoping the bodies will be released soon so there can be an Islamic burial, and his family hope that will happen too. Mizanur was a jolly guy who was just like any of us. We were a good group of friends. He wasn’t into racing.”

The driver and rear passenger of one of the BMWs were killed. Both cars were wrecked beyond recognition.

Police said the two dead men had not yet been formally identified but they were aged 22 and 24 and both from east London. A 25-year-old man, believed to be the driver of the second BMW, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving. The man, from east London, was later released on bail.

A relative of one of the other men involved in the crash, who escaped without serious injury, said: “They (Mizanur and Guljar) were lovely guys and good family men. We are all very upset. Mizanur had a baby daughter and this is a terrible thing that has happened.”

Witnesses said the two cars “appeared to be having a high-speed race”.

Basit Nasir told the Evening Standard that the BMWs had passed him at around 140mph. He said: “It was total mayhem. There was mangled metal everywhere. It was foolish of them to drive at this sort of speed. It was raining as well.”

Mr Nasir said that four men in a Mercedes arrived at the crash scene and four people got out and began fighting with the survivors, accusing them of killing their friends. He added: “They all jumped out and everybody started punching each other. They said, ‘What have you done? You have killed them’. I tried to break up the fight and called the police from my mobile.”

The men were said to have been on a night out in Luton and Milton Keynes and were returning to London when the accident happened between junctions five and four. It resulted in the closure of five sections of the motorway in both directions.

Tributes were posted on Twitter yesterday and the deaths are expected to be mentioned at prayers in mosques throughout the East End on Friday.

Ruhana Begum wrote on the social networking site: “RIP Muza & Gulzar. Local lads died in M1 car crash today. Thoughts and prayers are with their families.”

Another tribute, by “Mr Miyagi” said: “R.I.P Mizanur & Guljar. Died in a car crash on the M1 driving at 140mph.”

Hertfordshire police have appealed for witnesses to the crash or the events leading up to it to contact them.