A 78-year-old Indian immigrant, who is said to have lived by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, has died following a beating in a road rage incident in Auckland.
Jasmatbhai Pancha Patel died in Auckland Hospital yesterday (April 8) afternoon, a day after he was pulled from his car and beaten following what witnesses described as a minor vehicle collision in suburban Mount Albert.
Patel emigrated to New Zealand 33 years ago and lived with his two sons, their wives and five grandchildren, helping at the family fruit market, news reports said.
"He was the head of the family, totally Indian style ... looking after the sons and then the grandchildren," his 53-year-old son, George Patel, told the New Zealand Herald.
The attack outside a primary school was seen by dozens of horrified school children, the paper said.
A 27-year-old student, Bio O'Brien, an immigrant from Tuvalu, was charged with assaulting Patel and appeared in court today and was remanded in custody.
Mr Patel received critical injuries and was put into an induced coma at Auckland Hospital.
Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said Mr Patel died at 1.30pm today while surrounded by his family, police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said.
Family members were yesterday devastated and baffled as to why someone would hurt Mr Patel. One of his grandsons, who did not wish to be named, was in complete shock.
"We are all a quiet family. We get on with our lives and our jobs. It has come as a shock. He did not deserve this," he said.
The boy described his grandfather as a friendly and quiet man who loved gardening, and kept to himself.
Police say the incident - which escalated in front of a large crowd of intermediate school children at a bus stop - occurred about 7.50am, after a minor collision between a 1997 BMW and a Nissan van on Carrington Rd.
Detective Sergeant Pete Steward of Avondale Police told the Herald the attack had been triggered by a "very, very minor" accident.
Investigators were at the scene for almost five hours, finally removing both vehicles about 1pm.
Gladstone Primary principal Dave Shadbolt was one of about five people who went to the school gates after hearing of an "incident" on the roadside. He said he saw an "older"man on the ground. "There was just a lot of blood. His eyes were closed, he was just breathing heavily."
Mr Shadbolt said he was aware of another man nearby, being dealt with by police, who had arrived at the scene within minutes.
"By the time we got there he was quite calm. He was close enough, but we weren't really looking at him. We wanted to make sure none of our children came past."
A long-time neighbour of the Patels, Rona Patterson, was appalled by the incident. "Poor old Mr Patel wouldn't hurt a fly," she told the Herald.
Mrs Patterson has lived two doors down from the Patels for 21 years and described him as a great neighbour and family man.