The suspicious death of a student whose body was found in a canal could be linked a serial killer dubbed The Pusher, a grieving dad has said.

Design student Souvik Pal, 18, was found dead in the Bridgewater Canal about 50 yards away from Warehouse Project dance night on New Year’s Eve 2012 in Trafford Park.

He had been thrown out by doorstaff for jumping a queue for the toilets.

CCTV pictured Souvik with a mystery man who his father, Santanu, believes is responsible for his death, one of 85 waterway deaths in Greater Manchester since 2008.

The deaths have led to claims - repeatedly denied by police - that a serial killer dubbed The Pusher could be stalking to rivers and canals of the city.

Claims about a serial killer which first emerged a year ago were endorsed by an academic, Professor Craig Jackson, who said it was ‘unlikely that such a high number of cases are the result of just accidents or suicides’.

Now Souvik’s father has told a new documentary titled ‘Manchester’s Serial Killer?” that his son could be a victim of The Pusher.

Watch: Detective Chief Superintendent Russ Jackson on Professor Jackson's 'pusher' claims

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Mr Pal said: “It needs to be investigated to find out if there is really a serial killer in this case.”

Other CCTV footage close to where Souvik’s body was found shows a figure police believe is Souvik climbing a fence near the water to get back into the club to rejoin his friends.

Former Derbyshire Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Blockley, who reviewed three of the waterway deaths, told the programme the claim was ‘exceptionally odd’ as it would require Souvik to wade through some water.

Mr Pal added: “There must be involvement of a third party. That could be a straight case or that could be a serial killer.”

The parents of tragic student David Plunkett, 21, who was found dead in Manchester Ship Canal in 2012, dismissed police claims their son’s death was an accident. They heard ‘screaming and howling’ in the last phone call he made before his death.

The mother of trainee sports teacher Nathan Tomlinson, 21, found dead in the River Irwell two months after a Christmas night out, also believes his death was suspicious as his coat, phone, passport and wallet were missing.

The documentary, ‘Manchester’s Serial Killer?’ will be broadcast on Channel 4 at 11pm on Tuesday, January 19.

'Something had terrified him... but he could not speak to us. And that's not because he was drunk'

The mother of tragic student David Plunkett believes the ‘ghastly screaming’ she heard during the last phone call he made before he died indicates foul play.

David, 21, was found in Manchester Ship Canal after he had been at a music event at Daytona Racetrack in Trafford Park on Saturday, April 17, 2012.

The investigation into his death concluded his death was an accident but his parents suspect otherwise.

On the night he died he phoned his parents at 1.20am but didn’t say anything.

All they could hear was the sound of walking and then ‘ghastly screaming’, prompting his tearful mother to dial 999.

His father, Michael, said:” Something had terrified him. He was on the phone but our son could not speak to us. And that’s not because he was drunk.”

Mother Anne said: “The screaming and howling was so unearthly. We just thought it had to be something.”

Former Det Chief Supt Tony Blockley questioned whether he had been lured or chased, adding that his parents would have heard the splash from the mobile which had been found at the scene had he fallen into the water.

“It could have been an accident but by the same token it could have been a crime,” he told the C4 documentary.

But GMP said there was ‘no evidence’ of foul play

Nathan Tomlinson, 21, a trainee sports teacher from Brinnington, Stockport, was found dead in the River Irwell two months after he had gone missing following a Christmas party in 2010. His coat, passport, phone and wallet were missing.

He had texted his family saying he was pacing himself and was drinking shandy.

His body was pulled from the water near the Adelphi Bridge on February 10, 2011.

CCTV recovered by police shows a figure they believe to be Nathan running a circuitous rout to the water, although his mum, Tina, suspects it’s someone else.

Tina said: “I have always thought Nathan’s death was suspicious.”

'How could that person guarantee they would die? In which case survivors would have come forward'

A senior detective has insisted: “There is no pusher.”

Pete Marsh, a Detective Superintendent of Greater Manchester Police, pointed to a review the force had conducted into 85 waterway deaths and insisted that ‘most have definitive explanations’.

He added: “There’s no evidence to support the theory that a serial killer is at large.”

A retired senior detective told the C4 programme he found no evidence of a serial killer in three cases he reviewed but said rumours would continue.

Former Detective Chief Superintendent Tony Blockley said: “If a serial killer decided to cause their deaths by pushing them into the water, how could that person guarantee they would die?

"In which case survivors would have come forward. Also none of the individuals have marks (on their bodies) which are consistent with a violent attack which one would expect to see.

"In the three cases I have looked at I don’t feel there’s a serial killer involved.

“But that doesn’t mean to say that the three deaths I have looked at aren’t a crime. It could be somebody has been mugged and pushed into the water or trying to escape.

"To categorically say that’s a serial killer we would have to look at all the cases involved to look at the similarities and differences.

"Unless the police can prove that there isn’t a serial killer, every time a body is found or turns up the rumours and speculation will continue.”