Mourners warned to take care

Lalita Vaghela, widow of murdered dairy worker Bhagubhai Vaghela, arrives at her husband's funeral yesterday. Picture / Richard Robinson

Mourners at the funeral of Bhagubhai Vaghela were reminded of the violence Indian shop owners can face as they remembered a peaceful and loving man who was murdered doing his job.

"He was a personality who would never talk negatively, or quarrel or say otherwise, and you wonder at this moment how such a tragedy can occur to such a personality," said family friend Mohanbhai Daya.

He remembered Mr Vaghela's humility, loving nature and smiling face.

Friends spoke of the 58-year-old's involvement with the Indian community, including spending a few hours a week at a senior citizens' club with his wife, Lalita.

Ashokbhai Gaiwala, president of the New Zealand Indian Central Association, said there were risks for shop owners and precautions to be taken.

"Most dairies and superettes are owned by our people," he told more than 100 mourners gathered in a chapel at the Waikumete Cemetery in west Auckland yesterday.

"Security systems should be our main concern in the shops, surveillance systems should be working all the time, [a] panic button should be installed at the appropriate place, windows should be clear and transparent, and shops should be well lit."

Mr Gaiwala suggested a combined public meeting with police to seek some suggestions on overcoming dairy owners' security problems.

Mr Daya said New Zealand was a multi-cultural society and it was time people understood each other's faith and beliefs.

"Why can we not learn and take the goodness from each other," he asked, saying the word "Hindu" meant humility, integrity, non-violence, divinity and unity.

" ... Sure we say that the culprit [Mr Vaghela's killer] should be punished. The law and order takes care of that, but we need to understand from each other the values and traditions, and by that token this society will become a society of unity."

A message relayed from Labour MP Ashraf Choudhary said he had spoken to Police Minister George Hawkins about the murder and would "do whatever possible to pursue this matter and bring the culprits to court".

Unless that was done, the Indian community would remain a soft target, the message said.