The British father choked to death by a martial arts expert during a 4am row in a Thai hotel tried to fight off his killer with a butter knife, MailOnline can reveal.
Amitpal Singh Bajaj picked up the thin metal knife and tried to defend himself as he fought with Norwegian bodyguard Roger Bullman.
Mr Bajaj had complained when Bullman, 54, started singing opera on the balcony of his hotel room next door to where his victim had been sleeping with his wife and toddler son.
Amitpal Singh Bajaj, 34, (right) was choked to death in the Thai hotel room where he was staying with his wife Bandhna (left) and their two-year-old son (in his arms). As his killer strangled the British IT consultant he told his wife to run out the room to save their son
Roger Bullman, 53, (pictured) a Norwegian, martial arts expert, is pictured by a Thai police officer after being stabbed in the shoulder with a butter knife during the scuffle with Mr Bajaj
The two men were staying in adjoining rooms at the the five star Centara Grand Hotel in the holiday resort of Phuket when Mr Bajaj complained that Bullman was singing opera at 4am on the balcony outside, waking his wife Bandhna and their young son
When London-born Mr Bajaj protested, Bullman opened a sliding door which separated their balconies and confronted the British IT consultant. After the fight Mr Bajaj made his way to the hallway in front of his suite (pictured) where he died from his injuries
Security officials were twice called to ask Bullman, a bodyguard, to refrain from waking guests next to his room 344 at the plush Centara Grand Hotel in the holiday resort of Phuket (above)
Security officials were twice called to ask him to refrain from waking guests next to his room 345 at the five-star Centara Grand Hotel in the holiday resort of Phuket.
When London-born Mr Bajaj protested, Bullman opened a sliding door which separated their balconies and confronted the British IT engineer.
Mr Bajaj, as he grappled with his attacker, picked up the thin metal knife and tried to stab his attacker, bending the blade in half.
During the melee, the Mr Bajaj begged his wife Bandhna to escape with their two-year-old son, Veer – pleading with her: ‘Please leave and save our son.’
During the melee Mr Bajaj grabbed a butter knife (pictured) and stabbed his killer as he tried to fight him off
She heard her husband screaming for his life from the fourth floor when she reached the ground floor reception to seek help.
She told police Bullman kicked, punched and beat her husband after barging into their room.
When security officials reached the room they found Bullman in the last stages of choking Mr Bajaj to death.
The victim was lying on the ground and Bullman still had his arm around his neck from behind Mr Bajaj when hotel staff arrived.
One senior officer told MailOnline that as a former soldier and bodyguard Bullman ‘knew the technique to choke a man from behind.’
He added: ‘Bullman is a tough guy. The butter knife bent in half as he tried to fight back at him as he was being strangled from behind.
‘Bullman was too strong and Mr Bajaj tried to stop him by reaching for a knife and trying to stab him from over his own shoulder.’
The knife had been provided by the hotel to the Bajaj family to eat guava fruit in their room.
Police arrived minutes later and found Bullman crying and his victim barely breathing. He died shortly after being taken to hospital.
Police in Thailand search the room where the Brit dad-of-one who was on holiday celebrating his tenth wedding anniversary died from his injuries in the early hours on Wednesday
Phuket police chief Prawit Sutthirueangarun demonstrates on a colleague how Mr Bajaj was choked by Bullman from behind – then how he tried to fight off his attacker with the knife
A drawing released by police in Thailand shows how Bullman was in room number 345 and opened a door on the balcony giving him access to his neighbours staying in room 344
Bullman (pictured) and his wife Elvira had flown to Phuket from Oslo via Bangkok on August 17 on a two-week package holiday. His wife told police she slept through the whole incident
Senior officer Taechin Deethongon told MailOnline Bullman said he had lost control and did not mean to kill Mr Bajaj.
Major Deethongon said Bullman told him: ‘I am so sorry. I will do anything to help you in your investigation.’
But police say there is not enough evidence to charge the killer with murder.
Bullman faces a trial for manslaughter. He had his passport confiscated after being bailed and faces a sentence of up to 15 years on conviction.
Police are awaiting the results of blood samples taken from Bullman, who suffered a cut to his left shoulder, to confirm the amount of alcohol he had consumed before the tragedy.
Police said he has told them he intends to plead guilty.
Bullman’s wife Elvira told police she slept through the whole episode and barely heard a commotion and did not realise her husband had entered the room next to theirs.
Bullman and his wife had flown to Phuket from Oslo via Bangkok on August 17 on a two-week package holiday.
Mr and Mrs Bajaj were on the last night of their holiday to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary and had spent much of their break on the beach, walking hand-in-hand through the surf with their son.
They had met as teenagers at a family wedding and had moved to Singapore where they were working on producing computer apps.
The devout Sikhs celebrated 10 years of marriage in June and wanted to mark the occasion with a beach break.
Phuket police chief Prawit Sutthirurangarun said: ‘We will do everything to help Mrs Bajaj. She is our main priority.
‘Bullman and his wife have asked to meet with her, but nothing has been done about that.
Mr Bajaj (pictured with his wife) was cremated in Singapore at the weekend at a ceremony attended by his grieving parents who flew from their home in Southall, north London
‘She has gone to Singapore with her son and her husband’s body.’
Mr Bajaj, who died last Wednesday, was cremated in Singapore at the weekend.
His grieving parents Inderbir Singh Bajaj and Anita Kaur Bajaj flew from their home in Southall, north London, for the funeral which was attended by more than 500 mourners.
A service in his memory was also held in Southall where Mr Bajaj was well known for his charity and voluntary work
Last night mourners gathered a second time at the Katong Gurdwara in Singapore for a reading of the Sikh holy book the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Mrs Bajaj, who revealed her ‘hero’ husband had begged her to flee with their son as he was choked to death, paid tribute to him on a web page set up in his memory.
She wrote: ‘You will be remembered and missed for your courage, love and selflessness.’
A relative called Raja added: ‘Amit was a wonderful brother. Full of kindness, generosity and was a beautiful person.
‘In my heart I know he has transcended to a greater spiritual place, so while he will be terribly missed, I know he was called upon for a greater purpose.’
Friend Faraz Virmani wrote: ‘My deepest condolences to Amit’s family. He was the best of men, intelligent, articulate, humble and peaceful.
‘I will miss him playing tabla on the table… and thank him for being a great friend.’