Heartbroken mother calls for justice after son dies in road crash

The heartfelt call of a son shouting “Maiya, Maiya” (my dearest mother) each time he returned home will no longer be heard by Mati Marriamma.

Ms Marriamma shared this sorrow after losing her youngest child, Magnesh Reddy, who was allegedly struck by a twin cab van while walking along the Wailevu stretch road in Labasa last night.

Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro confirmed the alleged incident and stated that the circumstances of the matter are still under investigation.

When this masthead visited the family at Qelewaqa in Labasa today, Ms Marriamma was in tears as she recounted the devastating loss of her 38-year-old single son.

She described her son as a loving, compassionate, and family-oriented person who also valued his personal space and his passion for fishing.

“Apart from family and friendships, he would enjoy a drink, one or two bottles of beer on certain days, just to relax after a long fishing trip,” she said.

Ms Marriamma said her late son often went on long fishing trips, sometimes lasting 13–14 days at sea. Yet, she always looked forward to his return.

Yesterday, he had travelled to Labasa Town to buy food and supplies for a fishing trip planned for today.

The distraught mother was puzzled by how the accident happened, as she had spoken to her son at 1:30 pm that day and everything seemed normal.

“At 1:30 pm, my son called me and said, ‘Maiya, I am loading some shopping onto the boat and will return home soon,’” she recalled.

The heartbroken mother said her son usually took a taxi home, but on that day, he walked from town toward Qelewaqa.

“I don’t know why he walked because he always caught a taxi,” she said emotionally.

The 64-year-old mother added that her son had been a stable income provider, and now she and the family would have to rely on other siblings and her husband.

She said justice must be served and urged the police to conduct a thorough investigation, hoping the court would ensure the alleged driver is sentenced appropriately.

Ms Marriamma said her heart was heavy with sorrow after seeing her son’s lifeless body at the accident scene.

“I was informed about the accident around 7 pm by a neighbour’s son and rushed to the site at Wailevu,” she said.

She claimed that her son was dragged along the road during the crash, leaving torn pieces of clothing scattered.

“I saw the police officers picking up pieces of his torn clothes,” she said.

Ms Marriamma was frustrated that she was not allowed to view her son’s face despite repeated requests.

The family now awaits the post-mortem report before deciding on funeral arrangements.