MEMORIAL FOR DROWNING VICTIM
INDIAN student Ravneet Singh Gill was yesterday farewelled in an emotional memorial ceremony attended by hundreds of people at Coolangatta.
Among the mourners were devastated friends of the 22-year-old who were present when he drowned at Duranbah on Christmas Day.
The six men who survived the incident huddled together while Ravneet’s best friend and housemate stood sobbing with his head down.
Ikesh and Minal Patel were also among those farewelling the popular student.
The couple, who own the Super Savers Discount Variety store at Tweed Heads, said they would miss his warm and friendly face.
“He worked as a trolley boy and to hear that this has happened has come as a real shock,” Mr Patel said.
“It is very tragic, especially for a boy who was so kind and helping. He would help shoppers with their trolleys and almost every day he would come to us and say hello.
“He was such a pleasant person and he was different, he stood out. He used to wear a straw hat on top of his turban which wasn’t a common thing to do.
“He loved life, you could tell.”
Mrs Patel said she had two teenage daughters and would never allow them to swim in the area.
“Swimming here should be stopped and banned,” she said. “It is not a swimming spot, the rip is extremely dangerous and for people who are not from Australia it is even more dangerous.”
Mrs Patel said international visitors should be educated about the dangers of beaches during long-haul flights to Australia.
“As a mother I could not bare to think about what Ravneet’s mother is facing right now,” she said.
Ravneet was studying on the Gold Coast to get a job and help his family.
It is believed the young man’s father is suffering from a heart condition and his family, including his 15-yearold brother, are anxiously awaiting for his body to be returned to India.
A photo of Ravneet, which was place in the middle of Ebenezer Park, was surrounded by flowers and donations to help get him home.
Surjit Singh from the Gold Coast Sikh Council said the community had raised more than $23,000 to help get Ravneet’s body back home, but that the goal was $40,000.
“It costs about $10,000 just to get him home plus hospital fees and of course for his parents to give him a proper service,” he said.
“We want to help the family as much as possible and a huge piece of the Sikh community has already.”