Tragedy Unites Us, Says Pundit

Despite our religious backgrounds, the Nau­sori Highlands trag­edy has taught us to unite, says Pundit Jay Joshi.

Pundit Joshi was one of three religious leaders, who led a vigil at the Nadi Handi­craft Centre last night for the five victims.

Nirmal Kumar along with his wife, Usha, their daugh­ter, Nileshni Kajal and their grandchildren, Sana, 11, Sa­marah, 8, were found dead in the Nausori Highlands on Monday.

One-year-old Samaira Ku­mar was found alive.

The vigil was attended by about 100 people – many were dressed in black or wore a black ribbon.

Pundit Joshi said: “We are all here as humans as a Sana­tan Dharam, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and the tragic news has taught us to unite.

“Our land in Fiji is very prosperous and we are all to­gether as a family.”

Among those at the vigil was Nadi Sangam Primary School headteacher Navneet Kumar.

He shared his grief and told of how he did not sleep on the first night he heard the news.

Sana and Samarah both at­tended the school.

Mr Kumar said: “On behalf of the school I honour the lives of Sana of Year 503 and her sister, Samarah in Year 303.

“I could not sleep the night I heard the news. It is my prayer that their souls rest in peace.”

Mr Kumar also praised their mother whom he described as attentive to her children.

“She (Kajal) never left her children alone,” he said.

“We noticed that she always dropped and she picked them up after school and she is a very responsible mother. The two children were academi­cally smart and they took part in many activities of the school.

Earlier in the day, on be­half of the Fijian Govern­ment, Minister for Youth and Sports, Parveen Kumar Bala visited the family at Legalega in Nadi.

Meanwhile, the funeral for the five will be held at Votua­levu Cemetery today.

Edited by Ranoba Baoa

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