Communities in shock after men found dead

Nov 21 2012 By Gordon Robertson

South Bridge Street, Airdrie, flat

Two men were found dead in separate incidents on the same day in Monklands.

The body of Rafal Sojka, 38, was discovered in a flat in South Bridge Street on Sunday morning.

And, that evening, 42-year-old Alistair Milroy lost his life following an incident in Annathill, near Glenboig.

Mr Sojka, a Polish man living in Whinhall Avenue, Airdrie, is ­believed to have been at a party in a flat above shops in the busy town-centre street.

Neighbours and friends say a fight broke out during the party.

A friend discoved that Mr Sojka was dead at around 10.50am and the location was later sealed off as a crime scene.

Neighbour and shopkeeper Mohammed Afzal, 53 – who appeared in the Advertiser last year for chasing a blade-wielding thug who robbed a neighbouring newsagent – said the dead man was a “lovely guy”.

He added: “I feel unbelievable sadness at Rafal’s death.

“He was happy and healthy and I cannot believe such a terrible thing has happened to him. He was a gentleman.”

At around 7.20pm on Sunday, police were called following reports of a disturbance in Annathill Gardens, a quiet street in the village between Glenboig and Cumbernauld.

Neighbours reported screams coming from the house and a man “lying in a pool of blood” being treated in the garden.

Mr Milroy, of East Kilbride, was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary where he died a short time later. Another man was also taken from the scene by ambulance.

One woman said: “I heard screams for help coming from the house, I rushed out and saw a man lying in pool of blood in the garden and I called an ambulance.”

Another added: “The next thing we knew there were police cars and ambulances all over the place and the street was closed off.

“The ambulance crew worked on the man for a while before they took him away to hospital. He was in a bad way.”

Two men, aged 31 and 39, appeared at Airdrie Sheriff Court yesterday in conncection with Mr Sojka’s death.

Both were committed for further examination and released on bail.

A man, 47, also ­appeared in court yesterday in connection with Mr ­Milroy’s death, was committed for further examination and remanded in custody.