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Murder-suicide shocks Suva

Tuesday 28 July 2015 | Published in Regional

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SUVA – An apparent murder-suicide at a family home in a Suva suburb left three people dead and another seriously injured at the weekend.

Fiji police removed the bodies of the father, daughter and son from this house at Kaloa Street in the suburb of Kinoya – while the man’s wife was rushed to the hospital.

As investigations continue, it has been established that a domestic dispute led to the three deaths and the serious injuries sustained by the wife.

While police are piecing together details of the deaths, they are looking at a possible murder-suicide angle where it’s believed the man died due to self-inflicted wounds.

He has been identified as Johit Prasad, a sales manager by profession.

The incident has shattered the peace and quiet of the small close-knit community. Residents are still coming to terms with the tragedy.

Dead are Rentokil Initial Fiji national sales manager Johit Prasad, 34, and his children, Tanvi Prasad, 5, and Jeralle Ishav, 3.

Prasad, 34, allegedly knifed his wife Karishma Lal, 30, then hanged his children before hanging himself.

Prasad and the children died at the scene while his wife is fighting for her life at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital, in Suva. Karishma Lal also works for Rentokil as finance manager.

She is currently doing her Masters Degree in Accounting and Economics at the University of the South Pacific.

Lal’s first cousin Keshni Lal said it was a tragic moment for the family.

“I don’t know what could have gone wrong in such a happy family,” the 32-year-old taxi driver said.

“I just met the whole family in the city on Thursday and they were looking happy as ever and today, this has happened.”

She said it was unfortunate as the family recently started building their two-storey home in the area.

“The first part of the house was completed and they were building the upper level where my brother-in-law allegedly hung the kids and himself,” she said.

“They were deciding to migrate overseas but since my cousin was doing her master’s degree, the family decided to stay in the country.”

She said her cousin was struggling to survive when she arrived at the scene and saw her being rushed to the hospital.

She said she saw a cut across her forehead and on her side.

“I am going to visit her and I just pray that she survives this trauma.”

Neighbour Grace Nayacalevu said while she was returning from the shop, she saw Mr Prasad with the two kids climbing up the stairs to the upper level.

“A little while later as I reached my home, I looked across and saw Mr Prasad with a rope around his neck hanging from the ceiling,” she said.

“It was a terrifying scene.” Building foreman Dalip Singh said the incident was unbelievable. “We were good friends with the family and we used to visit the them,” he said.

“We are shocked to see such a loss as I have never imagined something like this could happen to a family which was so happy with one another and the kids were so small to go through such horrifying death.”

Neighbour, 15-year-old Grace Nayacalevu, said she thought Prasad was pulling a prank when she saw him hanging from the roof of his house with his two children.

“I thought he was just playing around and my friends and I were just laughing away,” Nayacalevu said.

She said her uncle called the police after she related to him what she saw next door.

According to Nayacalevu her family got along well with the Prasad family.

She said they were friendly and caring. Another neighbour Paulino Dau said the family got along well with everybody.

Meanwhile, police spokesperson Inspector Atunaisa Sokomuri confirmed the deaths and Karishma Lal being in a critical condition.

“At this point in time we cannot comment much as the investigation is in its initial stages and we are still trying to determine the cause of the incident.”