Mother of murdered teen visits former school to warn about weapons

The family of a 16-year-old boy, who was murdered near his Wolverhampton home, visited his former school to educate pupils on the dangers of weapons. Ronan Kanda was fatally stabbed in 2022, a result of mistaken identity, by two teenagers who had purchased a set of swords and a machete via the internet. His mother, Pooja, has been advocating for a prohibition on ninja swords, a measure currently under government consideration as part of a new consultation released on Wednesday. During an interview with BBC News at Lanesfield Primary School, Ms Kanda expressed her appreciation that government ministers had acknowledged her campaign. The government stated that the consultation aims to establish the definitive description of the dangerous weapon, marking the initial phase in advancing legislative amendments. Under the proposed plans, senior executives at social media companies who do not remove illegal content related to knife crime could also incur financial penalties. Ms Kanda, alongside other mothers, endorsed a ban on zombie knives in September, but also emphasized the crucial role of mandatory education in schools and prompt intervention for minor offenses in reducing unprovoked stabbings. Ms Kanda, accompanied by Ronan’s sister Nikita, engaged with students and staff at Ronan’s previous school, where she spoke to the pupils about her son. “I feel very overwhelmed right now with the fact that Ronan was in this class.. and he was one of these children who was happy, kind, didn’t know what was going to happen to him in six year’s time,” she said. “I feel putting the message across today for the future is so important for everyone.” “Primary school is a route that should teach children what’s right and wrong.” Zoe Rollinson, the head teacher, who had taught Ronan, recalled him as a “lovely young man.” “What I remember the most about him was, he really did have a good sense of humour and always wanted to make you smile.. he was such a thoughtful and helpful young man,” she said. She stated that the school collaborates closely with West Midlands Police community officers and believed it was crucial to engage with students to uncover any experiences they might not have disclosed. “We find particularly with children, they don’t share, they don’t say if they’ve seen anything or if anything has harmed them and we know just by speaking to our children that they have seen things that they need to be encouraged to share and have that mindset that you have got a trust with adults,” said Ms Rollinson.