Congolese Killing: Dad took loan to take body back, arrives in India today

Edmon Ketanda, who had sold a piece of land in 2012 to fund his 29-year-old son Olivier Masonda Ketanda’s education in India, has had to resort to borrowing money for his trip to New Delhi to escort his son’s body, lying in a cold chamber at the AIIMS mortuary for the past 10 days, back home to Democratic Republic of Congo.

Olivier was bludgeoned to death by three men in South Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area on May 20 after an argument over hiring of an autorickshaw.

“Olivier Masonda left the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2012 to study in India, and he had recently become a French teacher in New Delhi. He was the eldest son among four siblings. He used to assist his family financially by working as a part-time French teacher at an institute. His parents are earning to raise his three other siblings, who are still teenagers,” Michael, Olivier’s cousin, told this newspaper.

Olivier’s family never expected that their son’s dreams would be shattered on a day just before his birthday. “We had planned a birthday party for Olivier on May 21. We spent our childhood time together under the same roof. He was very polite and studious,” Michael added.

“It took 10 days for Olivier’s father to arrange money to come to India. They are not financially sound to arrange everything in a short span of time and come immediately, they have arranged money and only his father managed to buy a ticket to travel to India. He is expected to reach Delhi on Monday by 8.30 am,” he added.

Michael lives at Rajpur Khurd village in South Delhi where a number of African nationals were attacked by a group of youth on Thursday night.

However, the Indian government on Sunday said it will help the family of the Congolese national to receive his mortal remains. “In the unfortunate death of Masonda Olivier, the government will assist his family to travel to India to receive his mortal remains,” external affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup tweeted.