TERRIBLE FIJI TRAGEDY

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1930, Page 8

TERRIBLE FIJI TRAGEDY

INDIAN SERVANT’S REVENGE SUVA, June 4. For the third time in the last fortnight, the cry of murder most foul has echoed over the land. First there was the murder of an Indian woman at Naria. Then last week a woman’s dead body was found in the bush on the Lomavai estate, owned by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company. The body had evidently been lying where found for a week or so. An Indian named Govindsamy has been arrested at Sigatoka. •*. Only a few days later came a story of the worst tragedy which has happened in the colony for many years. It seems that an Indian named Hiraman, who was well off, and owned a house and farm, had a wife and several children, and a servant named Sukhu. Sukhu, it is alleged, was treated as an under-dog, and did not receive his wages regularly, and it is also alleged that he had heard that he was to be “sacked” in favour of a neighbour named Bhoanai. Bhoanai was also married and had a child or two.

Last week Hiraman and Bhoanai, with the latter’s son, Motilal, went to a wedding feast at Ramasa, six miles away. Sukhu was left in charge, and he had the opportunity for which he had waited so long. Hiraman’s wife and family went over to Bhoanai’s house, but later all the families returned to the former’s house. Then the fell tragedy took place with lightning rapidity. Seizing an axe, Sukhu soon killed the two women, and then, picking up a cane knife he chased the poor children round the house, killing one after the other, till five were dead and only a twelve-months-old child was left. Why ho spared it will probably never be known.

Sukhu was methodical. He carefully washed himself, and then set fire to the house, and having washed the

baby, he donned clean clothes and walked to the police station and gave himself up, with the child. The motive of the tragedy was without doubt revenge.