Salvin Singh looks up, mumbles something and then keeps quiet.

He does not have any mental health problem which makes him do that.

But, the reason why he does it is because of the love and never-ending memories he has for his two daughters.

Whenever he does that, he communicates spiritually with his daughters, asks them how they are and tells them to take care until they meet again.

The bodies of his daughters Sanah, 11, and Samarah, 8, were found in the Nausori Highlands on August 26. His ex-wife, Nileshni Kajal, 34, and former in-laws Nirmal Kumar, 63, and Usha Kumar, 54, of Legalega in Nadi were also found dead beside them.

A post-mortem examination that was carried out revealed that they had ingested some chemical which caused their deaths.

Police are awaiting the result of further tests to ascertain which chemical caused the deaths of the five people.

Happier times … Salvin Singh with his two daughters Sanah, 11, and Samarah, 8, before the two girls were found dead at the Nausori Highlands in August 2019.

In an interview at his family home in Tomuka, Lautoka on Tuesday, Mr Singh said: “My two children were my life. They are not here with me today but I just look up at the skies and say a few words to them. They are always in my mind and heart.

“The last time I saw them and my ex-wife was on August 24 when I went for my usual Saturday meeting with my children,” he said.

“I was supposed to attend a family function during the day on Saturday but I left that and went to see my daughters because they were everything to me.

“As usual, I did their shopping and took them around before I dropped them in Legalega later in the day.”

Mr Singh lived at his in-laws’ place for seven years after marriage, during which period he witnessed them practising witchcraft, something which he claims led to him separating from Nileshni.

The court gave him custody of his daughters from 8 am to 5 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

He visited them every Saturday and spent time with them and their mother.

Salvin Singh, helped by family members at the Votualevu Crematorium in Nadi on August 31, 2019. Photo: Waisea Nasokia

He last communicated with his daughters at about 10 pm on August 24 when they wished him goodnight on Viber, which was their normal mode of communication.

Mr Singh said he celebrated Sanah’s birthday in her school on August 1 and invited students and teachers from other classes too to celebrate.

Samarah’s birthday was on August 31, the day the funerals were held for the Nausori Highlands tragedy victims.

“I had bought a house in Lautoka for my daughters. But since I was living alone, I sold it and bought a car for one daughter and a taxi for the other, which are in their name.

“I was looking at their short term happiness because I already had long term plans to keep them happy,” he said.

“The registration plate of the car has Sana’s name and I went to the Land Transport Authority to change it but they told me to wait for a few weeks before it can be done.

“I’ve also thrown away my mobile phone and wallet because I had their photos in it and it just hurts me seeing their photos because they were my everything and they have gone far from me.

“I haven’t closed my Facebook account because it was all about my daughters. It’s where I have saved their photos and they will always remain there, forever. I’ve just shut myself out from social media.”

The late Nileshni Kumar and her two daughters Sana and Samara.

Mr Singh also said that as per the Hindu rituals, he had the exchange of marriage vows again with Nileshni at the funeral, saying he always saw and treated her as his wife even though they separated on August 7, 2013.

Ever since he learned about the death of his daughters and ex-wife, he has not been able to sleep properly and is dependent on pills prescribed by the doctor.

But the two pills that he is supposed to take does not work so he takes either three or four to help him sleep at night.

Salvin Singh with his two daughters Sana and Samarah.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

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