Family’s trauma

A TATTOO on his back of his name was the key element used by Nevashin Pillay’s family to identify his disfigured body at Phoenix Mortuary.

Pillay, 30, who was unemployed, and his friend Prince Gumede, were mauled to death by pit bulls at an alleged drug den in Northcroft on May 4.

According to a relative, Pillay had left home on the morning of May 2.

“Nevashin would leave home for a few days at a time. Most times he was with friends or staying with other relatives, so when he failed to return home we assumed he was staying with someone.”

However, by the weekend of May 6, they were concerned but still bemused he was with friends or family.

“Last week Tuesday neighbours came to our home and told us that Nevashin’s name was mentioned in connection with the incident in Northcroft. I jumped up and immediately went to the Phoenix police station and spoke to an officer about the incident.”

He said he was told that a body of an Indian male was at the mortuary.

“It was 11.30pm that night and I went to the morgue. I was not allowed in because I was not with the investigating officer. On Wednesday, I went back to the station and an officer tried to help me, but still no luck.”

With still no sight of Pillay, his family were fearing the worse.

“My elderly mum was already grieving. Our family was having sleepless nights not knowing his whereabouts. I was fed up of waiting and on Thursday I called the morgue and asked them just to check if he had a tattoo. They confirmed Nevashin was tattooed on his back.”

“The next day I got ahold of the investigating officer and identified his body. It was not a good sight.”

The relative said he was not aware that Pillay was on drugs.