View photos of the funeralKEY POINTS:
Close to 2000 mourners packed the funeral of slain liquor store owner Navtej Singh yesterday.
Mourners spilled out on to the grass surrounding the chapel at the Manukau Memorial Gardens, as large numbers of the Sikh and wider Indian communities and the public gathered.
Harjinder Kaur, Mr Singh's wife, had to be supported by family members as she followed the dark brown casket bearing her husband into the chapel.
Mourners filed past Mr Singh's open casket, weeping and bending down to lay flowers on his body.
Mr Singh's father, Nahar Singh, told mourners of his son's love for New Zealand, as an interpreter translated: "The people of New Zealand are the nicest in the world. But there are a few criminals who have to be looked after."
Mourners were told how the 30-year-old father of three would get up at 4am to go to work, before working until 11pm at the Riverton liquor store he owned.
A member of the Central Indian Association paid tribute to Mr Singh by promising to care and provide for his wife and three young daughters.
"I pray for your soul to rest at peace, brother. The soul gets elevated by the deeds that you do.
"What we can do today is make sure that your sacrifice does not go unheard. We will see that your wife and daughters live out a good life."
The congregation were told that a trust fund named Navtej Fundraising had been set up for the family.
Family friend Sandeep Verma spoke on behalf of the family and told reporters that Mr Singh's eldest daughter had seen her father's body for the first time as he lay in an open casket.
Mr Verma thanked members of the local and wider New Zealand community for messages of support, especially given another family tragedy - the death of Mrs Singh's grandfather Jagir Singh, whose funeral will be held today.
Mr Verma said: "The family is trying to cope with two deaths now and they are grieving and speechless.
"We will follow Sikh rituals at the Takanini Sikh Temple on this coming Sunday for Navtej's peace in heaven."
As the funeral ended and prayers were said, hundreds of men took their shoes off and stood outside on the grass with their heads bowed, paying their last respects to the slain Mr Singh.
