NAUSORI – Indra and Ranjita Prakash were tied to their bed and threatened by four masked men as their children looked on early Tuesday morning.
The words “give us what we want or we will kill you” will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
It was around 2am when Prakash was awoken by a loud noise from their front porch at Vusia Rd in Nausori. She saw three masked men looking into their bedroom.
Prakash, her husband, their two children and her sister were in the house when the robbery happened.
The family was still traumatised when they were visited Wednesday. Prakash’s younger sister Manjita Kaur, fainted while sitting for exams with the Fiji National University (FNU) as she was still reeling from shock.
Such robberies have resulted in the Fiji Police Force’s Criminal Investigations Department and Ready Action Unit to team up and ensure the public’s safety.
CID director Senior Superintendent of Police Vakacegu Toduadua said violent crimes ranging from aggravated robbery, house breaking and burglary had increased since the beginning of this year. SSP Toduadua said the number of robberies in the Suva-Nausori corridor in the past three months was disturbing.
He said police would increase checkpoints and snap roadblocks to track down criminals.
The Prakash family, which also owns Shruti Shajawat shop located in Nausori Town, were forced to give the key for their shop to the robbers.
Prakash said the robbers first destroyed their prayer room after they could not find any money before entering Kaur’s room.
“My husband tried to call for help but they stopped him by beating him up,” she said. “They ripped our clothes off and tied us with it except for my children.”
Prakash said the men were speaking little bit of English and iTaukei and ordered her to give all her jewellery and the two days’ sales from Friday and Saturday.
Prakash who did not panic for the sake of her children said she tried not to cry as she explained to her four-year-old daughter Ashruti Prakash who asked what the men were doing in their home.
“With an assuring voice, I told her the men will be here just for a while because they can’t find what they are looking for.
“This is sad because my children watched us tied up while they beat my husband,” said Prakash.
The men stole two laptops worth more than $6000 with $7000 worth of jewellery, 10,000 rupees, $2000 cash, clothes, seven watches and four mobile phones and their car.
Police officers at the scene said the car was found abandoned at Valelevu and investigations were continuing.
