Bullying case: Best friend could only watch in horror

Deep wounds: Previin (top), who was also attacked by the group of boys who assaulted his friend Nhaveen (right), suffered injuries to his face and eye. Previin will be undergoing surgery to fix the damage to his eye.

GEORGE TOWN: T. Previin could only watch helplessly as a gang of youths bashed his childhood friend, T. Nhaveen, 18, with motorcycle helmets and fists.

He was also attacked by the bullies and severely wounded on his face but managed to get away from them, making his way to Nhaveen’s home later calling for help.

Nhaveen, whom he knew since primary school, was found unconscious after the beating and is now in a coma.

He was also sodomised in the attack and burnt on his back, say doctors.

Previin, 19, was recalling the incident which happened at about midnight on Sunday; they had just finished eating at a burger stall in Bukit Gelugor and were about to leave when two of the youths spotted them and started to tease Nhaveen.

“He always complained to me that one of them, who was his former schoolmate, and several others always bullied him.

“They would scold him with bad words but he hated confrontation and always avoided getting into a quarrel with them,” Previin said from his hospital bed yesterday.

When the youths kept up their taunts at the stall, Previin confronted them and asked why they kept bullying Nhaveen.

Nhaveen

 

“I raised my hand, as if to slap one of them. I didn’t but I think this made them angry,” he said.

He said one of the youths then made a phone call and more youths showed up on motorcycles.

“Then they started beating us with their helmets and fists, but Nhaveen did not fight back,” Previin said.

“During the fight, I managed to escape and immediately went to Nhaveen’s house and told his uncle what had happened.

“I don’t know what happened after that,” he said.

Previin said his parents had scolded him over the incident, so he was grateful that Nhaveen’s family did not blame him.

“I am really sad. I hope Nhaveen will recover,” he said, describing Nhaveen as a kind and gentle person.

“We have been friends since primary school. Although we later went to different secondary schools, our friendship remains.”

Previin’s right eye is all red and still swollen from the beating he took; he will undergo a surgical procedure tomorrow.

Nhaveen is on life support at the intensive care unit of Penang Hospital.

His family members are keeping vigil there.

An aunt, G. Premalatha, 35, said the family was hoping for the best.

“We are praying for his recovery, we hope the public will pray with us. He is a good and sweet boy, and he means a lot to us,” she said.

Nhaveen’s mother, D. Shanti, 43, was also there but could not speak with pressmen.

She looked pale and tired, and at that time was anxiously waiting for the doctor to check in on Nhaveen.

Premalatha said that Shanti has not been eating properly since Nhaveen was warded.

“She cries many times, especially when she reads news about her son in the papers and social media. We are worried about her too,” she said.