I don't know how it works with others, but me, when I'm reading along in an article...there will suddenly be one, most excellent, sentence...and I
think "I have gotta post this on ATS."
The sentence that tripped my trigger on this one (and obviously, the whole thing's a tragedy, and this only shows that I have a depraved sense of
humor, and that
(Plus the fact that his name was Ravin, and he was raving...and then the phrase "bizarre midnight ritual" (which, like the phrase "exotic fertility
dances", does somehow exert a certain attraction) and the murderous Hare Krishna vegetarianism (don't see that quite every day)...Let me get to it
then.)
The link is to the article's appearance in thestar.co.za for 10 March 2010, no author listed for me to credit.
A Verulam man who allegedly hacked his sister to death in full view of her five-year-old son, during a bizarre midnight ritual, is a Hare
Krishna devotee who often spent hours reading spiritual books and meditating with japa (chanting) beads.
Unemployed Ravin Baruthwaj, 44, of Oleander Road, Mountview, was nabbed by members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), moments after he had
allegedly killed his sister, Rhona Chetty, 38, a machinist, with a panga [a machete/knife].
...
RUSA spokesman Prem Balram said a neighbour contacted their control centre at about 11:50pm, after hearing "faint screams" coming from the Baruthwaj
home. He said when they arrived at the scene, Ravin Baruthwaj was standing outside the house, covered in blood and carrying his nephew, Ashirvad,
Rhona's son.
Said Balram: "He appeared disoriented and kept saying that God told him to do it. He said the voices told him to sacrifice his sister at midnight and
to wake his nephew up and make him watch the act. We were confused and only realised what he was talking about when we went inside the house."
"We found a woman lying on the bedroom floor. Her face had been hacked and part of her skull chopped off. A panga was lying across her chest. She was
already dead." He said a personal diary, believed to belong to Ravin, was found at the scene.
A police source said the diary contained information about Ravin's "relationship" with God and his frustration at his disability grant being
stopped. The source added that since his arrest, Ravin had twice tried to end his life while in police custody. He is now under 24-hour police
guard.
Ravin's sister-in-law, Dr Judy Baruthwaj, of Benoni, said he (Ravin), formerly a self-employed welder, had been on anti-depressants for many months
and could not work. She confirmed he received a disability grant from the State.
She said his depression worsened when his wife moved out of their home to pursue a relationship with another man and left him alone with her children
from a previous marriage.
"Ravin remained in their marital home (in Verulam) but became very depressed and isolated himself from all of us."
Baruthwaj said Ravin was admitted to hospital in December after a friend found him unconscious at home.
"We believe he tried to end his life then. He never confirmed or denied this to us. While in hospital (after being found unconscious), he suffered a
massive heart attack. At the time, doctors said he was emotionally unstable and advised he should undergo six months of treatment and observation at
the psychiatric ward."
Baruthwaj said Ravin was "mysteriously" discharged from hospital and never went for the psychiatric observation. He subsequently moved in with his
mother, Sominthra, 64, (and Rhona), at her Oleander Road home.
"I was worried about his mental state but my mother-in-law reassured me he was fine. She said he seemed happy and showed no signs of emotional
instability. Also, he did not have any problems with Rhona. They had their occasional argument, but nothing that would have suggested he wanted to
kill her."
A distraught Sominthra Baruthwaj said her son became a vegetarian and quit smoking and drinking at the end of December.
"He started attending regular satsang (prayer service) at the Phoenix Hare Krishna Temple [and] read book after book of spiritual literature. He also
spent hours meditating with his japa. I was so happy because prior to this he had been going to church. He finally seemed to be on the right
track."
She said she was not at home on Saturday night...
"Ravin must pay for his sins. I don't ever want to see him again as I am afraid of him."
Dr Baruthwaj said she became concerned when Ravin went on a "spiritual high" but was reassured by family members that he was fine.
"Because this has now happened, we are living with regret. If I had acted on my gut feeling, maybe this horrible, unimaginable tragedy could have
been prevented."
She said Ashirvad, who was receiving trauma counselling, had described in detail to them what had happened.
"He is traumatised and has been drawing pictures of the killing. We are very concerned about his future."
...
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.
) is, I wonder what the antidepressants were that Ravin was
on...if Prozac or one of them other SSRIs...it would fit right in on this list of misery...