Attacks not in Australia alone,says grieving father

Chetan,who was on his way to New Zealand after attending his sister’s wedding in India,had a stopover at Koh Phangan,an island in southeast Thailand that is a backpackers’ favourite,also known for its ‘full-moon’ parties.

The legal machinery in Thailand swung into action soon enough; but the three youth who confessed to the crime were sentenced to only one-year imprisonment. A grieving Dadhwal is fighting to ensure a stricter punishment.

“It hurts a lot. We have lost our only son and the assailants,even after confessing to the crime,would be free soon. We are not satisfied with the punishment,” says Dadhwal.

Dadhwal has alleged that his son was not given immediate medical aid that could have possibly saved his life. “Every week I call up the authorities at the Embassy of Thailand in India to know the status of the case. But I get an unsatisfactory reply every time,” he says.

When The Indian Express contacted Laksanavadee Kaewkramol,Consul,Royal Thai Consulate-General in Mumbai to know the current status of the case,she said,“I am aware of the murder case. But I don’t have any information right now. I can get the details and let you know in the next month.”

Dadhwal has some reports that appeared in the media in Thailand,saying that a group of Thai youths stabbed Chetan when he tried to break up a fight at the party. A media report also says a Thai man,Thani Rakkapao,was charged with “unintentional murder” after he admitted to having stabbed Chetan in self-defence. As per the news report,Rakkapao said he stabbed a man who smashed a beer bottle on his face when a fight broke out at the party.

The Embassy of Thailand wrote to Dadhwal on December 18 that six youths have been arrested in the case. “It was stated that three youths who confessed were sentenced to one-year imprisonment,one youth who denied his involvement in the murder is in police custody and the case of minors involved was transferred to the department of juvenile justice,” Dadhwal said.

Dadhwal and his wife recalled the happy days that Chetan had spent in Pune before everything fell apart.

“Chetan came to Pune in March 2008 to attend his sister’s wedding. Earlier,he used to go to New Zealand via Singapore. But this time he decided to go via Thailand. He made a halt at Thailand for sightseeing. And then we heard that he had been murdered while attending a party,” said Dadhwal.

“I went to Thailand and contacted the police officials to carry out a proper investigation. I also sought help from the Defence Ministry of India. Defence Minister A K Antony had requested the then external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee for assistance to be given to me. I will keep fighting the case until I am satisfied with the punishment given to the killers,” Dadhwal said.

Advocate Asim Sarode,a human rights activist from Pune,said the attacks on Indians are happening in various countries,not just Australia alone. “There are various reasons behind the attacks. A proper plan has to be put in place by the Indian government to tackle the issue,” he said.