Tragedy in Novi, Mi - Domestic Violence and Support needed by the Michigan Indian Community

It is Diwali season and celebration of the beginning of a Hindu New Year. And yet in the midst of all the revelry came news of a tragedy; a woman and her two kids were murdered in their home, and the police are looking for the husband and father as a person of interest.

More relevant to this discussion is that this tragedy has befallen an Asian Indian family in Novi, Michigan.

The story as reported by the local news is that the family had recently moved to Novi, husband had lost his job, their car was repossessed, and basically they had fallen into hard times. The father and husband, Lakshminivasa Rao Nerasu, appears to have fled to India and there is an international manhunt underway to locate him.

So what's my point?

If Lakshminivasa is indeed the person who killed his family, questions that come to my mind are:

• Did anyone in the Nerasu extended family (like the brother who notified the police) know Lakshminivasa was approaching breaking point?
• Did the family suffer any kind of domestic violence before the day when they were killed?
• Did the father suffer from depression that went untreated?
• Did the wife and kids tell anyone of the situation at home that may have caused this ultimate tragedy?

It is impossible perhaps to know what may be happening in someone's home. But by raising awareness about available support and by letting people know about the Michigan Asian Indian Family Services (MAIFS.org) we can perhaps avert such tragedies. The MAIFS has professionals who can help provide counseling and guidance in domestic violence situations. If you know of someone facing tough times, let us all encourage them to contact MAIFS. The MAIFS is known for maintaining absolute confidence when working with people facing such situations.

We don't know what led to the Nerasu family tragedy. We can only speculate that hard times led to such a tragedy. But domestic violence happens in various different situations. Even though we all live busy lives, let us all go an extra mile to offer support and a lending hand to those who may need it. And let us raise awareness about available resources such as the MAIFS so that we can help a family in need.

All my best....
Nipa

Michigan Indian Community Group on Facebook

The Michigan Indian Community Group created by me on facebook has grown to over 150+ members. The group is open for anyone to join.

The Michigan Indian Community Group on facebook is a great opportunity for you to

• express your views and ideas
• Announce upcoming events (Desi Parties/Culturual Events/Religious Events/Charity Events etc)
• Sound off with your views on local and national political issues
• share your experiences on great Indian Dining experience or
• Lousy Indian Dining Experience
• let the folks know of great travel deals
• or any thing else on your mind

So please join the group and start writing on the community WALL or start a DISCUSSION Board as to what's on your mind.

(Note: Unlike other Desi Forums in the area, you cannot post anonymously at MI Indian Community Group on FACEBOOK)

Sound off on Michigan Indian Community Group at Facebook

The Michigan Indian Community Group created by me on facebook has grown to over 120+ members. The group is open for anyone to join.

The Michigan Indian Community Group on facebook is a great opportunity for you to

• express your views and ideas
• Sound off with your views on local and national political issues
• share your experiences on great Indian Dining experience or
• Lousy Indian Dining Experience
• let the folks know of great travel deals
• or any thing else on your mind

So please join the group and start writing on the community WALL as to what's on your mind.

(Note: You cannot post anonymously because to join the group you got to sign up with facebook first.

My Biggest Pet Peeve - From Nipa Shah's Blog

Nipa Shah has a interesting Blog post out at MIIC.Com site titled - "My Biggest Pet Peeve - What's yours". Here's how it starts

How many times have you sent an email or made a "business" phone call and not heard back? And have you noticed that this is more so in the ethnic community (especially our Asian Indian community) than in the Caucasian community?

I’m pretty tolerant of most things, although I am very passionate when I talk, I don’t get upset easily (really I don’t). And I’m also tolerant in that, I don’t mind if you send me ten copies of the same email, copy me on things that don’t pertain to me, send me stupid jokes and even stupider reasons why I should think like a Democrat or vice versa.

But what does get to me is situations where "professional" and "business" people don’t return calls or emails - and in some cases after they’ve initiated them!

I very much understand what she is saying because I experienced the same thing initially. What about now? Now I don't send emails anymore to those "Gods" of our Michigan Indian Community. I just don't want to pamper their egos to get a response.

So dear Nipa, move on and keep doing the good work and here's something to remember - "Father Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do Luke 23:34"