Thaindian News

Suva (Fiji), Jan 26 (IANS) New Zealand police have arrived in Fiji as part of a homicide inquiry into the death of a south Auckland resident Indian-origin woman, who was burned alive last week. Ranjeeta Sharma, 28, was burned to death near the coal mining town of Huntly in New Zealand last Thursday. Her body was found on the roadside of Waikato, New Zealand’s longest river, TVNZ reported Wednesday.

Devesh Kumar Sharma, Ranjeeta’s husband, is being held in a police cell in Fiji after he flew out of New Zealand the day after his wife’s body was discovered.

New Zealand detectives, working in Fiji, said they were concentrating on talking to the dead woman’s husband, and establishing ongoing care and protection of the couple’s child.

“Our officers will be looking at assisting with the assessment and advice on the care and protection of that child, and working with the New Zealand High Commission in Fiji who are liaising with Fijian authorities,” said Detective Senior Sergeant Nigel Keall.

“The other focus of the team will be speaking to the boy’s father. It’s still too early to tell what processes will be undertaken once the investigation team has spoken to him,” he said.

Police said that police activities, including any return of the husband to New Zealand, will be dictated by the process.

“The team have received the full cooperation of not only the Fijian authorities but a number of other New Zealand government agencies and members of the public,” Keall said.

Devesh, also known as Daniel, was caught in hiding with his and Ranjeeta’s four-year-old son in a town on Fiji’s main island at 1.00 a.m. Tuesday.

TVNZ reported ONE News was told Devesh, reportedly the son of a Hindu high priest, was caught after a tip-off from a neighbour. Locals say he had been hiding in Sigatoka town of Fiji for last three days.