The family of 43-year-old Ajeshwar Nand who passed away in a horrific accident in Koroboya, Vatukoula where he was trapped under logs, are asking why it took so long for the police to retrieve the body.
They have also raised concerns on the manner in which Nand was treated when he was trapped.
Ajeshwar Nand was driving a truck loaded with pine logs when he allegedly lost control while driving down a slope at around 3pm yesterday.
A resident of a nearby settlement alerted the authorities after discovering the truck on its side.
Police say he was trapped underneath the logs, was unresponsive, and attempts to get him out until this morning were unsuccessful due to the site of the accident.
They say the body is at the Tavua Morgue as investigations continue.
Nand’s brother Hirdesh Nand says his brother lay under the logs for almost 20 hours and was allegedly ill-treated as no one cared about him.
Nand claims the body was handled like a dog and placed in the back of a van with no one with him.
He asks did he have no rights or dignity even after his death.
Nand says he was told about the accident at 8pm and had been running around and trying to make arrangements to retrieve him.
Police Chief Operations Officer ACP Livai Driu says they sympathize with the family's loss.
He says due to the difficult terrain, heavy machinery was needed for the recovery operations.
ACP Driu says officers and community members attempted to retrieve the body yesterday, which proved futile, and it had to be called off due to darkness.
He adds heavy machinery had been arranged to clear the logs.
