Harjit Chaggar
Harjit Chaggar Kent Police

Two men have been found guilty of murdering pensioner Harjit Chaggar whose body was discovered dumped in a supermarket cellar in Chatham.

Mohammad Islam, 28, of Windmill Street and Murshed Miah, 38, of Wheeler Street, Maidstone, were convicted of killing her at Sani Globe Food store in Luton Road last September.

The body of the 69-year-old was discovered underneath the floor boards of the grocery store 12 days after she was reported missing.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Chaggar's badly decomposed body was concealed in a bin bag and her injuries suggested she was thrown into the basement while still alive.

Islam and Miah alongside Abdul Hannan, 44, of Aldon Close, Maidstone, and Rasad Miah, 27, of Otway Street, Chatham were also found guilty of preventing the lawful burial or cremation of a corpse.

The motive behind her murder is still unknown, police say.

Chaggar was caught on CCTV entering the back of the food store after being lured by a man wearing a white coat and apron.

Hannan, who ran the business with his brother Murshed Miah, was said to have known Chaggar as a regular customer and had called her "auntie". The other two men were shopworkers.

The defendents are due to be sentenced 20 May.

Following the verdicts on Thursday, Kuldish Chagger paid tribute to his mother and said: "The shock of losing our mother will never leave us. We pray that she is now at peace and can give us the strength to carry on without her no matter what obstacles are placed in our way, for none can be bigger than losing her."

A post-mortem examination found she had sustained fatal injuries to her head, neck and back and died within 24 hours of her last sighting.

Senior investigating officer Detective Superintendent Rob Vinson from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: "Harjit Chaggar was enjoying what to her was a normal day – seeing friends and heading to the shops to buy some groceries before heading home.

"But she never made it home. This 69-year-old lady was lured to the back of Sani Globe where she was attacked and killed.

"We may never know why these men killed Mrs Chaggar but I hope today's verdict goes some way to providing her family and friends some closure after a period of great uncertainty and distress."