Safri Boyz Band star dies after recovering from coma at Black Country hospital
A bhangra star who recovered from a coma has died days after leaving hospital.
Balwinder Safri, 63, of Birmingham's Safri Boyz Band had been in a coma after suffering brain damage following heart surgery in April.
After 86 days he was discharged from Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital after his family pleaded with doctors not to switch off his dialysis machine when he suffered kidney failure.
The singer, of Handsworth, was discharged earlier this month to continue his recovery at a specialist rehabilitation centre.
He performed in the Black Country including Diwali festivals and has been part of the bhangra scene since 1980, setting up the Safri Boyz Band in 1990.
A special send-off was organised for him New Cross where staff lined the corridor to cheer him on his way. While fellow Safri Boyz member Bhupinder Kullar, known as Tubsy, played a dhol drum as he left.
Paying tribute Wolverhampton's Andy Sahota, of the former Heera Dancers group, said: "He was a brilliant guy. He was always smiling.
"We used to perform at a lot of the same events so we knew him quite well. We used to perform to his songs all over the world.
"We were surprised to hear he'd passed away. He'd come through his battles and we were praying for him. He was a pioneer in the genre and had a unique style.
"We just want to send our condolences to his family."
