Keith Govender.
Image: Supplied
A friendly game of thunee turned deadly when Keith Govender, 22, died in hospital last week Thursday. He fought bravely for a month but sadly succumbed to sever head and brain injuries. He was laid to rest on Sunday. His family is devastated to lose a son so young.
How could a friendly card game become deadly? What madness to stab a man over a game of cards?
I have played this game of thunee many times in my younger days. Sometimes we became so engrossed in the game that we would play all night.
I have also watched others play thunee and saw how serious some players take this exclusive Indian card game. They would cheat, argue, shout and swear. Tempers would rise but I have never seen anyone go to blows over a game of cards, let alone take out a gun or knife.
After all, it is just a friendly game. So how do we explain Mahendra Ramadrah allegedly snuffing out a young life over a game of thunee?
Was he drunk or was it sheer madness? How violent we have become?
THYAGARAJ MARKANDAN
Kloof