Memorial service honours victims of Verulam temple collapse amid ongoing investigations

AWAITING FEEDBACK

- MONISHKA GOVENDER [e-mail]

THE memorial service was held on Sunday to pay tribute to the victims, from left, Vasudeva Datta Das, Jayaseelan 'Jayce' Perumal, Vick Panday, Adbul Prabhus, Kishore Hurribhujan and Ajit Manilall.

(Supplied)

A MEMORIAL service on Sunday paid tribute to five men who died in the New Ahobilam Temple collapse in Redcliff, Verulam, last month. As families shared heartfelt memories of their loved ones, preliminary investigations revealed serious construction violations that led to the tragedy now classified as a crime scene.

Those remembered were temple founder Vick Panday, 52; Food For Love Africa cook, Vasudeva Datta Das, 65; Kishore Hurribhujan, 63, a farmer widely known for supplying free vegetables to help feed those in need; Jayaseelan “Jayce” Perumal, 58, an electrician; and Adbul Prabhus, a construction worker.

Tribute was also paid to Ajit Manilall, 62, who was oxygen-dependent with severe heart problems. He died of a heart attack while trying to help at the collapsed building.

Family members, friends and community leaders reflected on their contributions and the profound loss felt across Verulam and beyond.

Ashmetha Singh, an account executive and the daughter of Vasudeva Datta Das, said the memorial was a fitting tribute to her dad’s lifelong dedication to serving others.

She said the memorial honoured her dad’s contributions to serving the needy and the community.

“This was a way to honour the incredible person he was, not just to our immediate family, but to the millions of poverty-stricken families who will dearly miss him,” said Singh.

“To me, my dad was and still is my biggest hero. The hardest part is knowing my brother Atish, my husband Nishal, and our two children, Nikhil and Ayden, will never be able to hug my dad again. He was the rock that held everyone together. The grandkids cry for their Nana.”