Fund Pays Insurance to Farmer’s Family

It was a week ago when 51-year-old Narendra Prasad was gored to death by a bull at Dreketilailai, Labasa. Yesterday a delegation from the Sugar Cane Growers Fund visited his home to present a cheque of $1000 to help the family.

They also collected his death certificate so the insurance scheme which covers farmers could pay out the money to the family.

The shed for gathering was still up because the 13-day ritual would end next Tuesday.

Mr Prasad’s family appreciated the gesture from the SCGF.

For Mr Prasad’s widow, Leena Devi Raj, the incident that killed her husband was as clear as yesterday.

“A day earlier before the accident happened the bull tried running after my nephew, but my husband managed to subdue it,” she said.

“Next day, it was morning, he told me to soak biscuits in his bowl of tea and he would have that after he tied the bull at a different location. I stood watching from the porch. “After he untied the rope, he somehow managed to come in a position where he was right in front of the angry bull.” According to the family, the bull hit Mr Prasad once, but with that one blow, the bull managed to drive its horn through Mr Prasad’s thighs, leading to excessive bleeding and his eventual death.

Son Avnit Prasad said he would take over the farming responsibilities.

“My father was a hard-working man. He was awake before the crack of dawn and always reminded me to get out of bed,” he said.

“I plan to carry on his legacy by doing what he loved.” Elder son Ajnesh Prasad travelled from New Zealand to support the family, while the youngest Navnit Prasad said he too would return to Taveuni after all religious rites were finished.

SCGF pays insurance for all registered cane farmers without receiving any levies.