Unnatural deaths among indentured Indians in colonial Natal: an analysis of the Protector of Indian Immigrants reports – 1876 to 1912

CHOURI Dhorai, indentured number 98619, arrived in colonial Natal with her 1-year-old daughter, Lakhrajia Timal, 98620, from Khanpur village located in the Azamgarh district of Uttar Pradesh, on the Umkuzi XII from Calcutta in April 1903.

- SELVAN NAIDOO

CHILDREN were often left to fend for themselves while their parents worked. Cane Fields to Freedom: A Chronicle of Indian South African Life by Uma Dhupelia-Mesthrie

The mother and daughter were assigned to the Kearsney Estates in Stanger (now KwaDukuza). Four months after they arrived, Lakhrajia was found dead, floating on the Umhlali River.

The inquisition of death file of Lakhrajia, buried in the Pietermaritzburg Archives Repository, details a range of archival transcripts that include witness account depositions to the eventual Clerk of the Peace exoneration of Chouri being negligent of Lakhrajia's death.

The magistrate of the Stanger district requested a full inquiry into the death of Lakhrajia at Tinley Manor, Stanger.

John Archiebald Tweedie, a field manager for JL Hulett & Sons, stated that he knew Chouri and Lakhrajia and that he turned out a search party for Lakhrajia when she was reported to have gone missing. Tweedie went on to state that 10 days prior to Lakhrajia going missing, he had seen Lakhrajia 100 meters from the barracks where the family lived.

Lakhrajia was found about four yards from the water's edge when he told one of his workers to take the child back to the barracks. Tweedie then went to the field, where he ordered Chouri to ensure that Lakhrajia was taken to the field while she worked rather than being left unattended at the barracks.

Chouri appeared before the magistrate on August 25, 1903, stating that she arrived from India about four months ago. Lakhrajia, who was still crawling, was taken to the cane fields while she worked.