THE DAUGHTER of a woman tragically killed in Petersfield town centre had to watch her mother’s funeral on the internet after being refused entry into the UK.

The Home Office wouldn’t grant the student from Sri Lanka a temporary visa so she could attend the funeral of her mother Lakshmi (Yogalakshmi) Sinnaiah.

After the death of her mother, and her brother Pragash in 2007, Romani (29) now has no living relatives.

Lakshmi (58) only moved to Heath Road in Petersfield from Liss on January 8, and died at the Dragon Street pedestrian crossing on Tuesday, January 26.

Former Sri Lankan diplomat and family friend Jay Sellahewa said: “Her mother’s death devastated Romani.

“And as if that wasn’t enough, the day before she was to fly here for the funeral she went to get the visa, only to learn it had been refused.

“Apparently there were concerns she might not go back to Sri Lanka afterwards.

“She is about to finish her degree, and marry an Australian national, so she had every reason to go back. If it wasn’t for the funeral she wouldn’t have come here.

“No one from the Government spoke to the police, who were extremely helpful in providing supporting paperwork, or her visa sponsor, about why she wanted to come here.

“Her sole purpose was for the funeral, and the visa should have been given on compassionate grounds.

“As the only next of kin, there are documents for her to sign and Lakshmi’s personal effects to collect, and this heartless decision has left Romani in total shock.

“So the only thing she could do was watch the service in St Laurence Church in Petersfield via the internet.”

Friends of Lakshmi have written to MPs George Hollingbery and Damian Hinds, describing the treatment of Romani as “without compassion” and “heartless.”

Initially so that Romani and her fiancé from Sri Lanka, but now living in Australia, had time to organise visas, the funeral service was delayed until yesterday, (Tuesday) but once it was clear Romani couldn’t be there, it went ahead.

But the cremation was delayed, so her fiancé, who came to collect Lakshmi’s ashes and effects, could attend.

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