Indians' plea to Govt: Make our workplaces safer

Auckland's Indians remember not just Hiren Mohini, the latest victim, but also six others who have died violently in the past few years.

Auckland's Indian community is demanding action to ensure its frontline workers are safe, following the killing of a city taxi driver.

It is two weeks since Hiren Mohini was repeatedly stabbed and left for dead in his cab for a $15.20 fare.

The 39-year-old was the seventh Indian killed in or near the workplace, a meeting of community members and civic leaders heard yesterday.

"This is the seventh tragedy that has struck our community," said Ashokbhai Gaiwala of the NZ Indian Central Association.

Other high-profile killings include the shooting of Manurewa liquor store owner Navtej Singh in 2008 and the road-rage attack on Jasmatbhai Patel, an elderly motorist on his way to work, in Mt Albert early last year.

Six men are on trial in the High Court for Mr Singh's killing, and Bio O'Brien, 28, is serving a three-year jail term for Mr 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," Mr Gaiwala said.

Ethnic Affairs Minister Pansy Wong and Labour leader Phil Goff were at yesterday's meeting, and they were urged to push for law changes.

When Auckland City Mayor John Banks called for life imprisonment for Mr Mohini's killer, a cheer went up.

"If you stab a taxi driver you are hunted down and you go to jail for the rest of your life," he said. "For too long we have been gutless."

Auckland Co-operative Taxi Society chairman Ian Graham said his company and Alert Taxis had put their longstanding differences aside at an industry meeting chaired by Transport Minister Steven Joyce last week.

"On Wednesday we were together for the first time in seven years. That shows you the strength of the drivers working together," he said.

Mr Joyce has vowed to make measures to increase driver safety compulsory.

Police are working around the clock to find Mr Mohini's killer.

"I am unable to talk about specifics because it will come before the courts, but I can report that the investigation is moving forward," said western area commander Inspector Jim Wilson.

Seeing Mr Mohini's little girls Yashvi and Hetvi farewell their father at the funeral had affected him greatly.

He had reminded the homicide inquiry team "while they are working long hours and are tired and at their wit's end, they are working towards finding those girls' father's killer".

"You could have heard a pin drop in the room, and I have never seen such determination on faces."

A close friend of the Mohinis, Pawan Malik, pleaded for donations for widow Falguni and the girls.

He said Mr Mohini had "cocooned" and done everything for the trio and they needed help.

"Hiren's bride lives through his daughters, who are going on to be proud citizens of New Zealand.

"It's not that people don't want to help, it's just that sometimes they are dormant and need to be tickled."