One of our followers has requested that we cover the case of Evelyn Nair. The murder of Evelyn Nair, a 20-year-old school teacher from Taveuni, was a shocking and senseless act of violence that left the community in fear. At the time of her disappearance, Miss Nair was working at Niusawa Methodist School on Taveuni and had come to Suva for a break. In 1972, her life was tragically cut short, and her case remains one of Fiji's most talked-about crimes. The investigation into her disappearance began on May 9, 1972, when Miss Nair and her aunt, Edwina Subramani, were abducted by two men while walking along Helsen Street in Suva. Miss Subramani managed to escape and reported the incident to the police, saying that a car stopped near them and two men got off, punched them in the stomach, and pushed them inside the car. She was forced into the front seat, while Miss Nair was pushed into the back seat. Miss Subramani's screams were heard by priests living nearby, and one of them chased the abductors in his car, but they escaped with Evelyn. A massive search effort ensued, with police offering a $1000 reward for information regarding Miss Nair's disappearance. Her parents had also offered a $100 reward for any information that could lead to her whereabouts. As the search intensified, police found some clothes belonging to Miss Nair in Tailevu. On May 25, 1972, a 25-year-old motor mechanic appeared in court to face abduction charges in relation to Miss Nair's disappearance. Later that day, police found the body of a young woman half-submerged in swampland at Naboro, which was suspected to be Miss Nair's. The then Commissioner of Police, Roy Henry, told the press that the body was decomposed and a post-mortem examination would be held to establish the cause of death. A second person was also arrested in connection with the abduction. The body was later identified as Miss Nair's through dental examination and recognition of her hair and earring. The post-mortem examination revealed that her throat had been cut from ear to ear with a sharp instrument, such as a penknife or dagger, completely severing the windpipe and causing death within minutes. There was also a stab wound to the right side of the chest that had fractured a rib and penetrated into the chest cavity, and a less serious one on the right side of the lower abdomen. The trial of the two men accused of Miss Nair's murder was a dramatic and intense process. Hundreds of people packed the court premises and blocked the Government Buildings corridor when the duo appeared in court. The court heard the graphic details of the crime, and the three assessors returned a unanimous opinion of guilty against the two accused persons. Justice Clifford Grant sentenced the duo to life imprisonment, describing their crime as "a dreadful, calculated, cold-blooded course of brutal inhuman behaviour on the part of the accused and demonstrating that they are an intolerable menace to society and not fit ever to be at large." The officers involved in the case, including Mr. Lesavua and Mr. Maharaj, described the harrowing experience of retrieving Miss Nair's body from the swampy area. Mr. Lesavua said the stench of the decomposed body remained in his nasal passage for five days or so, and even drinking beer and getting drunk didn't help. The officers were given $250 each by their European boss and three days off to de-stress, but the trauma of the experience remained. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of community vigilance and the need for justice to be served. It also highlights the trauma and pain that such crimes inflict on families and communities, leaving scars that can take years to heal. The memory of Miss Nair and the circumstances of her death continue to haunt the community, a tragic reminder of the brutality and senselessness of violent crime. #crimetok #fiji #notforgotten #truecrimetok #murder #kidnap