Family of Man Murdered by SAPOL Still Waiting For His Body and Answers
Weeks after Adelaide father Gaurav Kundi died following a violent police arrest, his devastated family say they remain stuck in limbo — with his body yet to be released and no clear answers as to how a “healthy” 42-year-old ended up dead.
Mr Kundi died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital on June 13, two weeks after he became unresponsive while being assaulted by police during an early morning incident on Payneham Road, Royston Park.
His wife, young daughter and son are still waiting to carry out his cremation — a delay they say has only compounded their grief.
“We have not yet received Gaurav’s body for cremation,” his brother Saurabh said.
“We’ve been told it may take another two weeks. We just want to say goodbye. We also haven’t received the medical reports yet.”
SA Police claim officers were responding to an incident occurring between a man and a woman when they violently attacked and restrained Kundi.
The case is now being treated as a “death in custody.”
Major crime detectives, the State Coroner and the Office for Public Integrity are all ‘investigating’ the matter.
Saurabh, who flew to Adelaide following his brother’s death, said the family still had no clarity over how the incident escalated one month on.
“We firmly believe that the situation could have been handled more effectively by the officers involved, and that this tragedy might have been prevented,” he said.
“Why was Gaurav being detained in the first place? He wasn’t drinking and driving, had no weapons, caused no property damage, and according to his friend, there was no physical violence. Still we don’t have clarity on what exactly triggered this tragic chain of events.”
“We believe in justice. We believe the truth will come to light. And we are committed to pursuing it — not just for Gaurav, but for everyone whodeserves safety, dignity, and accountability.”
Mr Kundi moved to Adelaide from India in 2009 and married in 2013. He was the main provider for his family and a devoted, hands-on father to his two children.
“He kept family close, valuing those bonds deeply and offering his time and heart generously,” Saurabh said.
“Helping others wasn’t something he did occasionally — it was simply who he was.”
A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help support Mr Kundi’s wife and children as they face life without him.
With no income support, mounting bills, a mortgage to cover and the responsibility of raising two children alone, the family is appealing for help from the community.
It comes after the South Australian chapter of the World Hindu Council hosted a prayer meeting for the family on Sunday.
“We cannot undo what has happened, but we can stand by this grieving family in their hour of need,” president Rajendra Pandey said.
Donations to the GoFundMe campaign can be made at the following link:
Source
No body or answers for family weeks after death in custody. The Advertiser
