On February 24th, 2023, a day etched in our memories with searing pain and profound disbelief, our beloved father, Subramaniam Nagalingam, and our dear mother, Indrathevi Subramaniam, faced a nightmare that shattered the tranquility of their homecoming journey to Sri Lanka.
After a soul-nourishing pilgrimage trip to Kerala, India, our parents decided to pay homage to their roots in Analaitivu, Sri Lanka, where our father’s ancestral home stood. Little did they know that their peaceful sleep would be violently interrupted by a harrowing ordeal orchestrated by three assailants armed with swords and wooden sticks.
In the dead of night, around 12:30 AM, these intruders stormed into our family home, catching our father and mother in the grip of deep slumber. The tranquility of the night shattered as our father was abruptly awoken by the brutal onslaught of violence. Three assailants descended upon him with ruthless ferocity, delivering merciless blows to his defenseless body. Despite our father’s desperate pleas for mercy and explanations of mistaken identity, the assailants persisted in their vicious assault, inflicting grievous harm upon him and our dear mother. The sheer brutality of the attack left our father unconscious, lying in a pool of his own blood, while our mother too bore the scars of this heinous act of violence.
The injuries sustained by our father were extensive and devastating. His face bore the brunt of the assault, with fractures to his nose and severe contusions to his eyes and cheeks.
Multiple blows to his legs and feet shattered bones and tore ligaments, leaving him unable to stand or walk. His arms and hands, raised in a futile attempt to shield himself from the onslaught, were lacerated and bruised, with deep tissue damage that would require extensive surgical intervention.
It was many agonizing hours before help finally arrived, and our father was transported via Navy boat to the nearest hospital in Jaffna. The road to recovery would prove to be long and arduous, marked by countless surgeries, blood transfusions, and the tireless efforts of medical professionals to save his shattered body.
Further complicating matters, escalating security concerns necessitated our father’s urgent transfer to Colombo, followed by a meticulously coordinated airlift to Canada. With the assistance of the Canadian High Commission, our father was swiftly transported to Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto, where he underwent extensive rehabilitation and medical treatment at Runnymede Health Center. Despite the valiant efforts of medical professionals, our father continues to grapple with the physical and emotional aftermath of the brutal assault.
Even as he navigates the challenging path of recovery, our father remains steadfast in his pursuit of justice, cooperating with authorities and seeking closure for the traumatic events that have forever altered our lives. Though the road ahead may be fraught with uncertainty, our family remains united in our unwavering support for our beloved father, standing together in solidarity against the forces of darkness that sought to rob us of his light.
Join us as we navigate the tumultuous waters of post-assault recovery—a journey marked by pain, resilience, and the unshakeable bond of family. Welcome to a testament of courage, love, and the enduring strength of the human spirit as we stand together in solidarity against the forces of darkness that sought to rob us of our beloved father’s light.