A post-mortem examination will take place today on the body of 16-year-old Ajmol Alom who was murdered in an apparently unprovoked attack.

East London Advertiser: Ajmol Alom, 16, in Northern IrelandAjmol Alom, 16, in Northern Ireland (Image: Archant)

The promising Langdon Park School pupil with “a very bright future” ahead of him was stabbed in the leg after he and his friends were confronted by a gang wearing hoods and bandanas in Spey Street, Poplar, at 9.50pm on Monday.

Ajmol was badly wounded in the thigh, while a friend of the same age was stabbed through the cheek. Both were taken to an east London hospital, where Ajmol later died, the Metropolitan Police said.

Detectives are questioning a 19-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

Doros Ullah, who was Mayor of Tower Hamlets from 2005 to 2006 visited the scene yesterday. He said he had been told Ajmol was a victim of mistaken identity.

“He was outside with some man who, we understand, had been in some trouble in the past, and three boys that came around were looking for him, so he was in the wrong place at the wrong time and became the victim,” added Mr Ullah.

Langdon Park headteacher Chris Dunne also paid tribute to Ajmol, who lived on the Teviot Estate near the scene of his tragic killing.

“Ajmol himself was an absolutely delightful young man; a very hard-working but very able student with a very bright future ahead of him,” said Mr Dunne.

“He would have been going on to take four A-levels and would undoubtedly have gone to university and done exceptionally well.”

Det Ch Insp Andy Chalmers, who is investigating the murder, said Ajmol was with a “peaceful” group of four fellow Bengalis when the unprovoked attack occurred.

Mr Chalmers said police were keeping an open mind as to whether the incident was gang related and said there were no early indications that Ajmol had any links to gangs.

Anyone with information about the attack is asked to call police on 020 8358 0100 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.