By Rory Reynolds
GRIEVING parents of a young Indian naval officer who had his throat slashed in a horrific attack have spoken of their shock that his racist killer could be free in just 18 years.
Kunal Mohanty was viciously slain by thug Christopher Miller – who later boasted of having “done a Paki” – while on a night out with friends in Glasgow.
The 30-year-old was killed just three days before he was to take his final exam at the city’s nautical college and return home to be with his pregnant wife, who was expecting their first baby.
His wife later lost their child.
Kunal’s father Devender said that Miller, 25, who was unanimously found guilty by a jury at the High Court in Glasgow last week, got off too lightly.
He said: “I know my son is never going to come back but we wanted a deterrent so that another man will not do this to somebody else.
“European countries are supposed to be well-educated, well-mannered and advanced – we did not expect this.
“My son went there for an exam, not to snatch somebody’s job, and it was just for the colour of his skin that he was murdered.
“I just have one grudge – that Miller should have been given more time so that he could not cause any pain for another family.
“I am not in favour of the death penalty, but I do think that if the murderer has a long punishment in jail then he will realise what he has done.”
On 27 March of this year Kunal and three friends were out for a takeaway when they were approached by Miller and asked if they had a cigarette.
When Kunal said he did not smoke, Miller pulled out a knife without warning and slit his throat.
Kunal’s mother Suman said that Miller should have been executed for killing her son.
She said: “I know my son is not going to come back but these sorts of criminals, they should be hanged.
“Society should be clean of these criminal elements who have no moral views – they are a burden on society.
“You can’t imagine how much pain a mother has in losing such a promising child.
“We were such a happy family and this was suddenly shattered – he was killed for nothing.”
Conservative justice spokesman Bill Aitkin MSP said: “This was a particularly brutal crime with racial overtones which deserved an exemplary sentence.
“The judge however in recognising that the absolutely minimum Miller will spend in jail is 18 years probably got it more or less right.
“But I can well understand the feelings of Mr and Mrs Mohanty.”
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