The family of a man who was killed for his mobile phone have been left devastated and destitute by his death.

Saravanakumar Sellappan, a 24-year-old student, died after he was attacked by three men a few yards away from his home in Thornton Heath last October.

Roshan Samedov and Awat Hussein Muradi, 18, and 20-year-old Jegir Ali Ahmmadi stole his Blackberry after hitting him so ferociously on the head, his skull was fractured and he suffered brain damage.

He went to Mayday Hospital with friends but was sent home after a cursory examination. He fell into a coma during the night and died in hospital a day later.

He was the only son of a poor farmer in southern India who sold everything he owned, including his farm, to send his son to Britain to get a good education.

The 24-year-old student was studying e-commerce in East London and working part time at a petrol station in Coulsdon.

He was sending most of the money he earned back home to support his proud parents and four sisters.

Jacob Ravibalan, the president of the World Tamil Organisation, who has been dealing with Mr Sellappan’s family said: “They hoped he would return and help his four older sisters and parents out of poverty. In the meantime they have been trying to earn a living by working as labourers.

“The family is very poor, he had four older sisters and the boy had been supporting all of them. They now have nothing, the father has lost his farm and now his son.”

Mr Ravibalan raised almost £4,000 to send the 24-year-old’s body back to his family for burial, he also gave the family some money to try and help them.

He said: “In our culture if you lose a son, it means your life is finished. Mr Sellappan is very depressed, him and his wife are still not eating anything. They were crying when I spoke to them. They are in a bad mental state, the cannot get over the death of their only son.”

In a statement to the Croydon Guardian, his father Mr Sellappan said he forgave his son’s killers: “Whatever jail sentence they get, it will not bring back my son. I am just a humble man, I cannot do anything. Just forgive these people, they are also someone’s children.”

The trio of killers, who were found guilty of manslaughter last week, face a substantial amount of time in jail when they are sentenced next month.