His grandmother S Rajalatchmi wept when recalling how Nhaveen, her closest grandson, was “snatched” away from her following an assault by a group of men last year.
“Where is the justice for my grandson? It has already been a year,” Rajalatchmi, 63, told FMT when met at the one-year memorial service of Nhaveen’s death at his flat in Gelugor yesterday.
Nhaveen, 17, was bullied and tortured by a group of teenagers near his home on June 9 last year. The teens had also allegedly bullied him in school for being effeminate.
Nhaveen was declared brain dead upon his arrival at hospital, and remained comatose for six days before passing away on June 15.
Four teenagers, including two juveniles, were charged with his murder. Their trial at the High Court continues next month.
Rajalatchmi said Nhaveen had recently appeared to her in her dreams, telling her that he was “with another grandma who just passed away”.
“He told me, ‘I am happy with Tanges paati (grandma). Please tell mother not to cry. I heard you are all crying daily. Please don’t cry, I am happy here’.
“Sometimes, I feel it would have been better if I had died with him as well,” said Rajalatchmi, who had earlier placed a cup of Nhaveen’s favourite Milo drink on the altar along with some of his favourite food.
‘Send aggressive students to Henry Gurney schools’
Nhaveen’s mother, D Shanti, said after losing her son to school bullies, her focus was now on advocating policing in schools so that “bad characters” would be placed under constant watch.
The 43-year-old said this would allay parents’ fears that their children would be targeted by gangsters in schools.
“We need urgent changes to our schools. Aggressive students must be marked and sent to rehab schools such as Henry Gurney schools so that they change.
“Now I hear that schools are providing counselling for students involved in gangsterism, who are aggressive and have character problems. Is this going to change anything?”
Shanti, who said she had renewed hope that the Pakatan Harapan government would ensure reforms in schools to curb bullying, said schoolteachers must be empowered to report cases without fearing a backlash from students.
“Some teachers have told us horror stories about schoolchildren beating teachers up, or damaging their cars. This shows they can do anything they like without worry.
“I think a police officer should be placed at each school so that bad students think twice before doing anything.”
Nhaveen’s aunt Sumathi Dorairaj meanwhile criticised the pace at which the authorities had provided her nephew’s post-mortem results.
She said the authorities had taken a full 10 months to submit the report along with the chemist’s report on the blood work.
“We would like to appeal to the new attorney-general, Tommy Thomas, to provide us with the best prosecutors in the case to ensure that justice is served for our dear Nhaveen,” she said.
Nhaveen given grand send-off as brutality of his death lingers