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| CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY IMAGES |
A general view of Canal St. in the city of Manchester.
A serial killer known as "The Pusher" is terrorizing a British city and has taken more than 60 lives, some people claim.
Family members and experts say dozens of men have been pushed into canals in Manchester, but cops say there is no evidence of foul play. A documentary airing on Britain's Channel 4 on Tuesday night is set to examine the deaths more closely and add fuel to the debate.
There were 61 bodies found in local canals between 2008 and 2015, according to a Freedom of Information request, the Mirror reported.
“It is unlikely that such a high number of cases are the result of just accidents or suicides as canals are not popular suicide spots, especially for men," Professor Craig Jackson of Birmingham City University said, according to the British newspaper.
However, Jackson withdrew his comments after meeting with Manchester authorities, according to the Mirror.
Many family members believe that a serial killer is on the loose, or that foul play is involved.
"It needs to be investigated to find out if there is really a serial killer in this case," dad Santanu Pal said in the documentary, according to the Mirror. "There must be involvement of a third party. That could be a straight case or that could be a serial killer."
The body of his 18-year-old son, Souvik, was found in the Bridgewater Canal in January of 2013, three weeks after he was booted from a New Year’s Eve party, the Mirror reported. Souvik was seen walking with an unidentified man, and surveillance footage showed them crossing a canal bridge. One of them attempted to climb a railing and only one of the them returned, according to the Mirror.
“Despite extensive investigation it can not be ascertained where or how he entered the water," coroner Joanne Kearsley said, the Mirror reported.
The parents of another possible victim, 21-year-old David Plunkett, heard "screaming and howling" in their last phone call with their son, according to the paper.
"Something had terrified him," dad Michael said, the Mirror reported. "He was on the phone but our son could not speak to us. And that’s not because he was drunk."
The mother of 21-year-old Nathan Tomlinson said her son's coat, phone, passport and wallet were missing when his body was found early in 2013, according to the newspaper.
"I have always thought Nathan's death was suspicious," she said. "There were a lot of flaws in the investigation and the police were slow at the start."
An author believes that a serial killer is targeting gay men, or men the killer believes are gay. Thomas Sheridan claims he was followed by "a tall man wearing a hood" while investigating the deaths, according to the paper.
"I'm convinced foul play is a point concerning some of the bodies," he said, according to the paper. "I concur with the people of Manchester that 'The Pusher' is almost certainly the cause of some of these deaths."
Cops dispute the notion that foul play was involved. Detective Chief Inspector Pete Marsh said some died from alcohol, while others committed suicide, according to the paper.
“Down near Canal St. it is mainly young men and a lot of them are drunk late into the evening," Marsh said, according to the paper. "There are meeting places and the side of the canals. Drink and water don’t mix. Those individuals may be putting themselves more at risk. There is nothing that links any of these deaths."
“If a serial killer decided to cause their deaths by pushing them into the water, how could that person guarantee they would die?" Ex-Derbyshire Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Blockley said, according to the paper.
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