A “kind and softly spoken” man died after he was hit by a train at North Sheen on Friday night.
Hari Karumuri, a friend and former colleague, said he and members of Mr Valavala’s family in India are trying to reach his relatives in the UK in order to help arrange a funeral but were struggling to get in touch.
He said: “He was very kind and softly spoken. A very nice person and all his friends and everyone who knew him would vouch for that.
“We cannot accept that he would do something like that.”
Mr Valavala’s death is not being treated as suspicious, according to a BTP spokesman.
He worked as a software engineer for WorldPay and is thought to have moved to the UK in 2012 following a year working in Helsinki, Finland.
Did you know Mr Valavala? Please contact the news desk on 0208 722 6326 or email George.odling@london.newsquest.co.uk.
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