‘My son died for his beliefs’

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People who knew Keenan would vouch for the fact that he was one of the most fun-loving and outgoing persons they knew. He was also very sensitive and extremely calm. Picking up fights and getting into brawls was unlike him. Despite being a calm person, Keenan had zero tolerance for injustice. Whatever happened that fateful night must have been a powerful trigger.

It was a tradition between Keenan and his close friends to watch cricket matches at Amboli Kitchen and Bar whenever the Indian team was playing, and that night was no different. They were just standing outside the restaurant and chatting after watching the match, when a man, who was severely inebriated, accosted them and passed lewd comments about one of the girls in the group. Keenan and his friends stepped up to protect the girls.
After Keenan and his friends fought with the man, he walked away only to bring with him a bunch of men armed with knives, sticks and sickles. The armed hooligans ruthlessly beat up the boys. What is most disturbing is that no one came to their rescue, except one waiter from the restaurant. People around just stood and watched as the culprits brutally attacked my son.
We rushed to the hospital immediately after we got a call from Priyanka, Keenan’s girlfriend, and he was still alive when we went there. We thought there was still some hope. But it was not meant to be, he lost his battle with life within a few minutes of us reaching the hospital.
As a father I am completely broken, but I am proud that Keenan sacrificed his life for something he believed in so strongly. My son died while trying to protect women, and all young men should know that this is the right thing to do.
Keenan would not tolerate injustice without putting up a fight; but at the same time, if he was at fault, he would be the first person to own up to it. As a child, he would always come up to me and confess if he thought that his mischief would upset his mother or me. After Keenan grew up, our relationship matured from that of a father and son to very close friends. He would come to me and share everything — his dreams, aspirations and sometimes, things about his personal life too.
Since he was the eldest of the three siblings, Keenan was very protective of his younger brothers, and would often assure me that if something were to happen to me, I could always count on him to step up and take charge of things. Neither of us imagined then that he would be the first one to leave. I want my other sons to learn from their elder brother, and grow up to be a hero just like him.
Keenan always did what he loved. He worked as a bartender at a hotel. He wanted to build a hotel of his own some day, and I have no doubt that he would have achieved his goal sooner or later if he were alive today.
I knew my son would make me proud, but I never imagined that this is the price we would have to pay. I don’t want Keenan’s killers to move about freely even for a day. I want them to at least serve life imprisonment. I would be happy if the murderers are awarded capital punishment, but I know it is rarely handed out to people. My only hope is that the culprits at least spend the rest of their lives in prison. I pray that they are not let out on bail. My fight to book the culprits will continue till I feel my son has got his due.
Despite so many efforts, I know that I’ll never get my son back, but the support that my family has been getting from across the city overwhelms me. I always thought that I had three children, but the love and support that we have received from youngsters in the city has made me realise that I have many sons and daughters. I pray to the Lord to give them the courage to fight injustice just like Keenan. I hope the authorities wake up from their slumber to make some very stringent laws that punish the offenders.

As told to
Sushmita Murthy