Hanuman murder case postponed

Mala Kandasamy, her son Megandran, 19, and Melarisa, 18, were found beaten to death in their home in Chatsworth. Photo: Facebook

Mala Kandasamy, her son Megandran, 19, and Melarisa, 18, were found beaten to death in their home in Chatsworth. Photo: Facebook

Published Jan 10, 2014

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Durban - The bail hearing of a man who allegedly bludgeoned his wife and two teenage children to death with a traditional Hindu religious object was postponed in the Chatsworth Magistrate's Court on Friday.

KwaZulu-Natal National Prosecuting Authority spokeswoman Natasha Ramkisson-Kara said the case against Rajan Kandasamy, 44, was adjourned by Magistrate Leon Nielsen following an application by his lawyer Sivan Samuels to have Kandasamy undergo mental assessment.

The case was postponed to January 14, during which time Kandasamy would be kept in Westville Prison and be seen by the district surgeon as well as a psychologist.

Kandasamy is alleged to have used a Hanuman - a traditional Indian mace carried by the Hindu god Hanuman - to kill his wife and their two teenage children, aged 18 and 17.

Their bloodied and battered bodies were found in the family home on December 29 by police after friends raised the alarm over the family's failure to attend a memorial service.

The man was handed over to police by his relatives on New Year's eve.

The funeral of the three took place following Kandasamy's first appearance in court last Friday. Hundreds of people attended the funeral held at the Crossmoor Secondary School hall.

Wikipedia describes the Hanuman as a blunt mace or club from South Asia which is made entirely of metal. It consists essentially of a spherical head mounted on a shaft, with a spike on the top. Hanuman is described as a protector against evil spirits and is worshipped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion. - Sapa

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