Mourners farewell burns victim

Shalvin Prasad, whose scorched body was found in a scrub fire in Kingseat, Auckland, loved football and Bollywood music.

Players from Mr Prasad's Manukau United soccer team lined the driveway of the Manukau Memorial gardens chapel today as his casket was escorted into his funeral service by pallbearers.

Speakers at the service, which was conducted in a mix of Hindi and English, spoke fondly of the 21-year-old.

His brother Pravin Prasad told mourners, who spilled out into the chapel courtyard, of his kind-spirited and respectful baby brother.

"He would just light up the world - just like that."

Pravin also spoke of how "innocent"and "naive"his brother was.

"What you saw is what you got.

"I know you've always looked up to me," Prasad said of his younger brother.

"I've always looked up to you."

A member of the Manukau United Football Club recalled Mr Prasad's enthusiasm for the sport.

"It was very hard to score against him.

"We will really miss you."

Mr Prasad, who first joined the club when he was eight years old, turned up every Sunday at 3pm for a game of football with his club mates and friends.

He would have been 22 on Sunday.

His car was found in Papatoetoe on Thursday by a member of the public, 27km away from where his burnt body was located.

Police believe Mr Prasad was killed by the scrub fire and say an accelerant was used.

His Toyota Rav 4 has been seized for an extensive forensic examination.

CCTV footage from Plunket Ave businesses, where Mr Prasad's car was found, is also being investigated.

Police have established two vehicles left McRobbie Road near where Mr Prasad's body was found, at high speed about 6.30am on Thursday, just prior to the arrival of the first police vehicle.

One was described as blue/silver in colour and the other one was white. Both vehicles carried on straight through the intersection into Kingseat Road and were travelling in the Pukekohe direction.

Anyone with information should call police on 09 2950311 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

- Teuila Fuatai of APNZ

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