Mewa Singh, a 60-year-old Indian man visiting his son in New Zealand, was fatally attacked near a Christchurch skatepark. His son has spoken out about the "senseless" and "unfair" killing of his father. Singh lost his life on the evening of April 9 last year after being mistaken for a child abductor.
The fatal incident occurred when an enraged father delivered a single "haymaker-style punch" to Singh. The attack took place near Linwood Park and was prompted by a misunderstanding.
Himanshu Keshwer, Singh’s son, shared his grief with Stuff, describing the devastating moment he learned of his father's critical injuries. “When I left for work that day, everything was good. My family was happy, [my father] was playing with my daughter,” Keshwer said. He was informed of the attack by a police officer around 9:30 pm that night.
Keshwer described his father as a kind and caring man who would never harm anyone, especially a child. “He was a very good human being. He never took anything seriously and always tried to help people wherever possible,” he added.
Details of the incident were disclosed after a 32-year-old man, whose name is suppressed, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the Christchurch High Court. The man had been at the park with his son and, in an attempt to discipline him, drove off when the boy did not follow his instructions. Upon returning, he saw Singh holding his son’s hand near a bus stop and, believing Singh was abducting his son, attacked him.
The enraged father confronted Singh, accusing him of trying to abduct his son, and delivered a powerful punch that caused Singh to fall and hit his head on the pavement. The man then left the scene, later admitting to his ex-partner and flatmate that he believed he had killed Singh.
Singh was taken to Christchurch Hospital's Intensive Care Unit with a skull fracture and internal bleeding. Despite medical efforts, his injuries were inoperable, and he died after being taken off life support on April 9.
Screengrab of supplied video
Reflecting on the past year, Keshwer expressed his anger and sorrow. "Someone killed my dad and I couldn’t do anything, and still can’t do anything. It makes me sad, it shouldn’t have happened," he said.
Jitender Sahi, from the Sikh Society, remarked on the impact of the tragedy on the community. "We thought New Zealand was a safe country, it’s just a shock," he told Stuff. Sahi urged the community to exercise caution and avoid going out alone after dark.
"He was just visiting his kids... it’s tragic,” Sahi added, emphasising the need for safety and vigilance within the community.
Himanshu has moved back to India to take care of his mother, he told Stuff.
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