Slain Indian's widow testifies in New Zealand court

Wellington: The widow of a slain Indian-origin store owner has testified in a court in New Zealand, detailing her desperate attempt to save her husband from the attackers, media reported.

Arun Kumar, who ran a convenience store in Auckland's Henderson suburb, was killed in an attack last year. Two boys, aged 13 and 14, are accused of his death and are on trial at the High Court in Auckland.

The 13-year-old is charged with manslaughter and assault with intent to rob, and the 14-year-old is charged with murder and assault with intent to rob, stuff.co.nz reported on Tuesday.

Anita Kumar, who was called to the witness box, said she was making coffee at the back of their store on June 10 last year when she heard her husband crying out and yelling at her to call the police.

As she rushed towards her husband, she said, she saw two boys in the doorway demanding money from her husband.

She too came under attack and dropped her mobile phone. She said she ran out of the store to get help, but on her return noticed one of the boys fighting with her husband, while the other was holding "something metal".

"I tried to grab it off him. Once I got that off him I started hitting the other boy who was fighting with my husband," she was quoted as saying.

"I tried to hit him a couple of times. Eventually the boy who was fighting with my husband, the taller one, ran out. The other boy was still yelling give us the money," she said.

After the pair left, she noticed Arun was bleeding heavily. He was later decalared dead.

Besides Anita Kumar, another witness told the court that he saw two boys loitering suspiciously outside the store.