Fear among Indians as another killed in Durban

An elderly Indian woman was murdered here, bringing the number to five such killings in the past two months which have triggered fear among the Indian community here. Wife of a former Indian educationist, Susheela Devi Ramduth, 69, was strangled in her home in Claire Estate on Friday, police said today.

‘‘Society talks about bringing about moral regeneration. The murders go totally against these ideals, especially targeting elderly, defenceless women,’’ said Ela Gandhi, grand daughter of Mahatma Gandhi and an Indian-origin MP in the ruling ANC government.

‘‘Although the community may be angry, calm must prevail. We cannot fight violence with violence,’’ she said.

Earlier, Chintamoney Maharaj, 58, was choked to death with a cell-phone cord at her home in the nearby suburb of Parlock. Mariam Hansa, 60, was murdered in Claire Estate, while sisters Ayesha Moosa, 68, and Julie, 59, were killed in Westville, a few kilometres from Claire Estate. ‘‘Crimes reported… Take too long to be investigated and sometimes nothing happens,’’ said Krish Gounden, a spokesperson for the development forum in Claire Estate.