Police have said they didn’t know that Karandeep Singh – whose remains were found in Herschel Park last month – was homeless until nearly two years after he went missing.

Karandeep Singh was first reported missing in December 2021 – but his remains were only found in Herschel Park in July this year.

He had recently left temporary accommodation and had previously been known by authorities to sleep rough in Herschel Park. But Thames Valley Police says it was only told of this in August 2023.

A police spokesperson told the Observer: “When Karandeep was reported missing, it was not reported to us that he was homeless. This was established during police enquiries as a part of our missing person investigation.

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“Mention of Herschel Park was not made until August 2023, when Karandeep’s family and associates shared this information with us.”

The news comes despite the fact that other authorities knew that Mr Singh had been known to sleep rough in Herschel Park. Slough Borough Council told the Observer that its rough sleeping team had found him living there in February 2021.

Thames Valley Police says it did issue media appeals for information ‘when we felt it was needed to assist us in our work'. The force was unable to say how long it believes Mr Singh’s body had been in Herschel Park as the investigation is ongoing.

Karandeep SinghKarandeep Singh (Image: TVP)

Here’s what we know so far about the events leading up to the discovery of Mr Singh:

  • January 2021: Karandeep Singh moves to Slough from Birmingham. He stays with a friend who is unable to accommodate him for long in their one-bedroom property.
  • February 16, 2021: Mr Singh approaches Slough Borough Council for assistance. The council says his immigration status meant he was entitled to work but not to financial assistance.
  • February 18, 2021: The council’s rough sleeping team finds Mr Singh living in Herschel Park.
  • February 19, 2021: Mr Singh is placed in a bed and breakfast by the council as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
  • June 30, 2021: the council ends Mr Singh’s bed and breakfast accommodation as lockdown restrictions are lifted. The council says it had no further contact with him and he had not been seen or found sleeping rough in Slough after this.
  • December 13, 2021: Karandeep Singh is reported missing from Slough.
  • May 17, 2022: Homeless charity Slough Outreach issues an appeal for information on its Facebook page. It says Mr Singh was last seen in September 2021 and had been known to visit Birmingham and Southall in London.
  • August 2023: Mr Singh’s ‘family and associates’ tell Thames Valley Police of his connection to Herschel Park.
  • September 1, 2023: Thames Valley Police issues an appeal for information for Mr Singh. It includes his photo but does not give his second name. The force says it had made ‘many enquiries’ and was concerned for him.
  • July 7, 2024: officers are called to Herschel Park at 1:04 pm after a member of the public found human remains along a trail in a wooded area. A homeless person’s camp is located nearby. Slough Outreach later told the Observer the remains were found by a homeless resident.
  • July 15 2024: Thames Valley Police formally identifies the body as Karandeep Singh.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Thames Valley Police on 101 quoting reference number 43240321393, or anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.