By Prasun Sonwalkar, IANS
London : Part of a village square in Hampshire has been turned into a shrine as villagers continue to mourn the racially aggravated attack and subsequent death of the Indian sailor of Goan origin on Oct 20.
Gregory Fernandes, the sailor, and his friend were attacked by a gang in Fawley as they were returning to their ship, Garonne. The death plunged the village into shame and mourning that found expression in an emotional candlelight vigil in the village square last week.
Fernandes’ uncle, Father Diogo Fernandes, flew in from Royal Palm Beach, Florida, over the weekend and sank to his knees and wept as he was taken to the place where his nephew was attacked.
The Roman Catholic priest was representing the sailor’s parents and sister, who live in Goa. Father Fernandes, 62, said: “My visit is designed to bring whatever healing I can to my family. They are not in a position to be here today – I’m the only one able to undertake the trip.
“Gregory was the most beloved nephew I could have had. Coming here and praying for his spirit is the final thing I can do for him.”
Father Fernandes met and embraced several villagers who knew he was coming and wanted to express sympathy at his loss. A local youngster, Jack Rushmer, presented him with a letter of condolence and photographs of All Saints Church, Fawley, where a special service was held in memory of Gregory on Oct 27.
Fernandes was accompanied by one of the police officers investigating Gregory’s death. Detective constable Phil Crossland pointed out the Falcon Hotel, where Fernandes and shipmate went for a quiet drink on the evening of Oct 20.
A pall of gloom has since descended on the village which has never seen such a racially-motivated attack. During the special service, hundreds of residents packed the All Saints Church over the weekend before walking to The Square, where the attack on Fernandes took place.
Reverend Barry James, who led the church service, said: “The community is in shock. People are dismayed and ashamed of what happened here, in what is normally a quiet Hampshire village. Since he died there have been tears and a sense of shock that something like this can happen in a small, sleepy village.
“We wanted to acknowledge what happened and express our feelings of solidarity, as well as to show Gregory’s family that we are remembering him and that we care.”
At least two local companies in Fawley have started collections to help the deceased’s family.
Stressing that racial events were extremely rare in Fawley, chief inspector Gary Cooper told the local media: “I would like reassure local people the police are taking this tragic incident extremely seriously.
“Young people are gaining access to alcohol – and a large proportion of it is coming from their own homes. What happened last Saturday was a very significant but isolated incident that was very much out of the ordinary”.
(Prasun Sonwalkar can be contacted at [email protected])