Thaindian News

Auckland, Feb 15(ANI): New Zealand’s Indian community is demanding action from the government to ensure that its frontline workers are safe, following the killing of an Indian-origin taxi driver Hiren Mohini in Auckland.

Ashokbhai Gaiwala, member of the New Zealand Indian Central Association, said that the community is worried as Mohini was the seventh Indian killed in or near the workplace.

“This is the seventh tragedy that has struck our community,” The New Zealand Herald quoted Gaiwala, as saying.

Other killings include the shooting of Manurewa liquor store-owner Navtej Singh in 2008 and the road-rage attack on Jasmatbhai Patel in Mt Albert early last year.Six men are on trial in the High Court for Singh’s killing, and Bio O’Brien is serving a three-year jail term for Patel’s death.Shopkeepers Navin Govind, Shiv Prasad, Bhagubhai Vaghela and Krisna Naidu were also killed in their workplaces.

“We are here to show our united support that we, the Indian community, totally condemn this brutality against an innocent person who is going about his work to make an honest living for his family,” Gaiwala added after a meeting of the community members and civic leaders.

New Zealand Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong and Labour leader Phil Goff were also at the meeting, and they were urged by the Indian association members to push for law changes.

Meanwhile, Auckland City Mayor John Banks called for life imprisonment for Mohini’s killer, and said: “If you stab a taxi driver you are hunted down and you go to jail for the rest of your life. For too long we have been gutless.” (ANI)