The death of the Labasa Kisan Sangh president in 1957 was investigated by the police’s Criminal Investigation Department, The Fiji Times reported on July 8 that year.
A taskforce left Suva by air for Labasa to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sadhu Prasad’s death.
Mr Prasad was said to have died following fracas at a farm in Vunimoli, near Labasa.
Two of his companions, a cane farmer named Lallan and Abdul Gani, a constant companion of the deceased, were also believed to have been injured – Lallan severely.
It was believed that a few men visited the farm where the fracas took place in which spears, knives and clubs were used.
Police were also understood to have arrested at least one man in connection with the affair.
It is believed that the dispute was connected to the possession of a farm at Vunimoli.
The deceased, with N S Chalmers, the president of the Fiji Kisan Sangh, was one of the signatories to the manifesto issued the previous year, threatening a strike in certain circumstances.
Mr Prasad was born near Navakura in the foothills between Labasa and Savusavu and was well known on both sides of Vanua Levu as his early life was spent in cattle trading.
Then he went into rice trade between Northen and Southern Vanua Levu during the war.
Never himself a very extensive cane farmer, he had been president of the Labasa Kisan Sangh since 1949 and had maintained his position even though it had often been challenged.
His Kisan Sangh (or Farmer’s Union) represented cane farmers of Labasa.
