Girl, 5, fighting for life after gangland shooting opens her eyes as gunmen's target comes forward to help police

• Desperate relatives keep vigil as both victims remain critical but stable
  
• Crimestoppers offer £50,000 for information that helps catch attacker
• Police move in to reassure residents over revenge attacks

The five-year-old girl fighting for her life after being caught in an apparent gangland shooting has opened her eyes, it emerged today.

Thushara Kamaleswaran is still in a critical condition but is considered stable. Her distraught parents are keeping a vigil by her beside.

Thushara and another bystander were caught in the crossfire during a shooting at a convenience store in south London on Tuesday night.

Critical: Five-year-old Thushara Kamaleswaran was gunned down in front of her mother and siblings by a bullet that narrowly missed her heart

As detectives hunt the attackers, one of the youths thought to be have been the target of the gang has now contacted police.

Crimestoppers are also offering a £50,000 reward for information that helps lead to the shooters' arrest.

A family friend of Thushara's parents, Velluppillai Navaratnam said today: 'The parents of Thusha are at the hospital now. We are all praying for her to get well soon.'

Roshan Selvakumar, 35, who lived above the shop in Stockwell and was shot in the face, is also critical but stable in hospital.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Boughton said: 'Although their injuries are very serious, they are both under the circumstances doing well.'

Sources have revealed up to 50 gangs operate in the area where the shooting took place.

Territorial Support Group officers have now been called in to reassure residents who fear 'tit for tat' attacks.

Youths visiting the scene of the attack have already been vowing to take revenge. One threatened the perpetrators would be 'hunted down'.


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