In a span of two months, another woman has become the victim of a gruesome robbery with violence by an intruder inside her home.

However, in this latest case, Maya Wati, 65, of Koronivia, who was beaten inside her home, managed to escape and call for help.

Unfortunately, in a similar incident at Koronivia on September 14, Chand Kuar, 79, was allegedly murdered inside her home after a robbery gone wrong.

The prevalence of such brutality has seen Koronivia residents reeling in shock and hoping something is done before elderly women are attacked inside their own homes.

Ms Wati’s husband, Ami Chand, 71, was emotional when describing what happened to his wife.

“Yesterday (Monday), I told my wife that I would go into town to buy paint because Diwali was just around the corner and my social welfare allowance was in,” Mr Chand said. “She opted to stay home to clean idols and would go to town in the middle of the week to buy stuff for prayers. Little did I know that something would happen to her after I left.”

Mr Chand described the gruesome attack on his wife as inhumane and an act of cowardice.

Chand, 71, of Koronivia Rd, Nausori, inside the house where his 65-year-old wife Maya Wati was attacked and robbed on November 7, 2023. Photo: Ronald Kumar

“We have a kitchen outside where she took the idols to clean. The door in the front was closed, and only the back door was open. The man that came entered from the back when she was getting the idol from the prayer place to take it outside,” he said.

“Her back was to the door, and she did not see him, and when she turned, he punched her face. Now she cannot see properly with one eye turned black.

“When my wife was punched the first time, she fell, and the man pulled her and punched her again. After that, he pulled her into the room and asked her where the money was hidden, but she didn’t tell him anything, and he started opening the drawers.”

Mr Chand claimed that the thief stole a mobile phone, watch, ring, jewellery, and some money—about $400 was inside the drawer.

When the chance presented itself, his wife ran out the front door and shouted for help.

“When I returned from Nausori, I found a police officer sitting at a table outside our home, and that was when he told me about my wife. I just returned from the hospital to visit my wife, and she can’t talk much because of the injury to her face,” he said.

Mr Chand and his family have been living at their home for 42 years, and it was the first time something like this had happened to them.

Neighbours tell 

Another resident, who wanted to remain anonymous for his safety, claimed that robbery and burglary have become common in Koronivia, and residents were afraid.

He added that something must be done and the police need to frequent the area.

Neighbours heard Ms Wati’s shout and ran towards the house, only to meet a man who pointed to her home and said two men were inside.

Little did they know that it was the robber himself who pointed to Ms Wati’s home. When they realised this, the intruder had disappeared.

Divisional Police Commander Eastern, Senior Superintendent of Police Josua Vodo, said the police were following up on a lead.

According to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, there were 35 people charged with a total of 42 counts of serious offences in October, which included five people charged with aggravated robbery, 11 with aggravated burglary, and 10 with theft.

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