Murdered dad ‘had it coming’

The home temple in Verulam where pensioner Indiren Chetty’s body was found. PICTURE: RUSA

The home temple in Verulam where pensioner Indiren Chetty’s body was found. PICTURE: RUSA

Published Apr 22, 2018

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Durban - Indiren Chetty died a horrible death - he was beaten with an iron pipe on his face, head and chest - allegedly at the hands of his son.

But neighbours of the 68-year-old victim were not surprised he had died, apparently after an argument over food for the family’s three dogs.

Chetty’s death on Monday, they said, was a “long time coming”.

They painted a picture of a man feared for being violent and vulgar, and with a long history of abuse and alcoholism.

“Last Tuesday marked the death of his wife a year ago. Doctors said it was renal failure but she was constantly abused,” said Ross Ramlal, a mechanic who lived next door to the family for more than 30 years.

“He also used the most unbearable language,” said Ramlal, who called security company Reaction Unit SA (Rusa) and police to report the murder.

“I was at work when my wife called me. She screamed on the phone: ‘Come quickly, he (the perpetrator) is here with blood on his hands. He said (Chetty) is dead’,” Ramlal told POST. 

“I rushed home and saw him standing with a cellphone. That’s when I called the authorities.”

On Tuesday, the POST team arrived to find a trail of dried blood, a dusty tin pot over a makeshift fireplace and a barking dog at the Bridgeford home in Mountview, Verulam.

A yellow police tape cordoned off the area where the battered body was found - the family’s makeshift temple.

Rusa boss Prem Balram said his team arrived at around 7.48pm and found the dead man’s son, Kamal, at the scene.

“He told officers that on his return from work he queried his father’s whereabouts. 

"His 48-year-old brother (Anesh) told him his father had been picked up in a red car and had not returned.

“The brother (Kamal) got suspicious when he saw blood in the yard. He pointed out a trail of blood leading to the family temple. The bloodied body of Indiren Chetty was lying face up on the ground.”

Balram said it seemed the father had come out of the house and put out a fire where the dog’s food had been cooking. 

He said an argument ensued and he was beaten on the head, then his body was dragged into a small brick building outside the home used as a temple.

Anesh was arrested.

The DA councillor for the area, Johnson Chetty, said the man who was killed had abused his wife and sons verbally and physically - and would expose himself to schoolgirls.

Another neighbour, Haripal Rampurtab, said Anesh was known to be a gentle, hard-working man. 

“He doesn’t deserve to be behind bars. He should get counselling.”

Police spokesperson, Captain Nqobile Gwala said it was alleged the man had been assaulted by a “known suspect”.

He had suffered head and body injuries, said Gwala, and was certified dead at the scene.

“A 48-year-old man was arrested in connection with the murder and would appear in court soon.”

POST

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