Tributes on Chhokar death anniversary

About 40 people turned out for the ceremony

Family, friends and supporters have gathered at the spot where Surjit Singh Chhokar was killed, on the third anniversary of his death.

The 32-year-old was killed in 1998 outside his girlfriend's home in Overtown, Lanarkshire.

Three men were charged with his murder - but all were acquitted after two separate trials.

The verdicts prompted the launch of two inquiries into the handling of the case, which were published last month.

More than 40 people gathered at the Chhokar's family home in Law, near Carluke, before departing for the ten-minute journey to the scene of Mr Chhokar's death.

Nobody has been convicted of Surjit Singh Chhokar's murder

Solicitor General Neil Davidson was among the gathering.

He said he had attended the commemoration after being asked by the Chhokar family.

He said: "The fortitude of the Chhokar family in pursuing justice over the last three years is a remarkable display of courage."

A number of people tried to disrupt the ceremony by shouting abuse at the family.

One man said: "This has been turned into something it wasn't and is out of control. We have a bad reputation here now, but no one has ever been charged with this man's murder."

Stabbed to death

Aamer Anwar, spokesman for the Chhokar Family Justice Campaign, led the 20-minute ceremony when he held hands with Mr Chhokar's father Darshan and mother Gurdev.

He said: "It is with a heavy heart that I pay tribute to Surjit Singh Chhokar, exactly three years since he was stabbed to death.

"This family has suffered not only the loss of their son but the failure of the authorities to successfully prosecute his killers.

"Three years on his memory does not fade, it gets stronger.

"The rhetoric from politicians has not made Scotland safer. It has been the courageous acts of the family and the work they have done and the people they have spoken to that has made the real impact."

Aamer Anwar: Heavy heart

Mr Anwar said everybody was entitled to justice and that families should not be forced to set up campaigns themselves to obtain answers from the different authorities.

Mr Chhokar's father Darshan ended the ceremony by saying: "As a family on our own there was little we could have done. That's why we thank everyone who has helped us so far and will continue to do so."

An appeal, spearheaded by the Scottish Trades Union Congress, has been launched to raise £40,000 to fund a public investigation into the case.

The Chhokar Family Justice Campaign is continuing to campaign for an independent public inquiry into the case, despite two reports into its handling.

The first report from Sir Anthony Campbell, justice of the Supreme Court of Northern Ireland, criticised the decision to initially put just one man on trial for Mr Chhokar's murder when three had originally been arrested in connection with the killing.

Solicitor Dr Raj Jandoo, the author of the second report into how the family had been treated, said he had found evidence of "institutional racism" within the system.