Nhaveen's family vows to fight on against bullying

GEORGE TOWN: The family of murdered teenager T. Nhaveen has banded together to make one wish during this Festival of Lights period - they all want the scourge of school bullying to be stopped in this country.
This is the message the family wants to convey this Deepavali as they grapple with the sorrow of losing 18 - year old Nhaveen to a senseless fight with his former schoolmates last June.
Besides using the hashtag "justice for nhaveen," the family now also wants to register a campaign online to fight the scourge of bullying at various levels of society, said Nhaveen's uncle D. Suryakumar.
"For now the family and their extended circle of relatives will be signing up for the online campaign. Eventually, we hope every parent in this country, as well as educators, will come onboard. Bullying must be curtailed although such act has become part and parcel of juvenile delinquently for ages."
Nhaveen was murdered just four months ago when he and his friend T. Previnn were involved in a fracas at an open field near the Karpal Singh Learning Centre in Gelugor.
Apparently, during the commotion, Nhaveen was hit in the head and suffered serious head injuries which lead to him falling unconscious hours after seeking treatment at the Penang Hospital.
Previnn meanwhile suffered a dislocation of his eye socket.
Less than a week of admission to the intensive care here, Nhaveen passed on to the horror of his mother D. Shanti, who continues to sob every day for the past four months.
Now, Suryakumar wants the world to comprehend that the culture of violent school bullying must be eradicated in this country, citing the example of other cases such as the teenagers who allegedly setting fire to a religious school in Kuala Lumpur, which led to the deaths of 23 young students.
The family will be spreading messages of hope via social media.
Nhaveen had a life ahead like any other teenager with plans to study classical music at a college.
He loved music as it was a form of escapism for him after he was taunted by his schoolmates for years.
And he also wanted to use music cheer his single mother Shanti up as they had a difficult life together.
Four boys have been arrested and, they were charged under Section 302 of the Penal Code for first-degree murder.
The court proceedings are underway with the next mention slated for December.
Surayakumar conceded that the trauma has not ended for the mother, though
She sobs almost every day, especially when she sees his belongings in the room.
Inside their medium cost apartment in Gelugor, is a huge picture frame of the lad, who always enjoyed celebrating Deepavali with his nephews and nieces.
"Nhaveen likes new clothes and often, it was the same designs and colours."
He also loved the delicacies which come with the occasion, said Suryakumar, who is a food caterer.
The mother remains distraught, said an aunt G. Prema.
"We have been conducting prayers and there is an outpouring of support. But nothing can bring Nhaveen back to us," said Prema.
What the family has vowed to do, was to become the litmus which carries the light of awareness that bullying; especially of the violent kind must be curtailed, she added.
Lawyer Baljit Singh, who will be maintaining a watching brief for the family throughout the trial, said that the education system needs to be reformed to prevent the mushrooming of violence among the students.
Nowadays, both parents are working so there is a need for the school system to be effective in dealing with delinquents, he said.