Thaindian News

Auckland, Feb 15 (IANS) The fatal stabbing of taxi driver Hiren Mohini in New Zealand’s Auckland city has prompted the Indian community here to demand that their workplaces be made safer.
Auckland taxi driver Hiren Mohini, 39, was repeatedly stabbed by a passenger Jan 31 following which his taxi collided with a tree in Mount Eden.

New Zealand Herald reported Monday that Auckland’s Indian community was demanding action to ensure members of the community were safe.

“This is the seventh tragedy that has struck our community,” Ashokbhai Gaiwala of the NZ Indian Central Association was quoted as saying.

The other cases of Indians being killed include that of liquor store owner Navtej Singh who was shot dead in 2008 and the road-rage attack on elderly Jasmatbhai Patel in Mt Albert early last year.

Shopkeepers Navin Govind, Shiv Prasad, Bhagubhai Vaghela and Krisna Naidu were also killed in their workplaces.

Gaiwala said at a meeting of community members and civic leaders: “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.”

Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong and Labour leader Phil Goff were present at the meeting held Sunday.

“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,” Auckland City Mayor John Banks was quoted as saying.