The family of slain dairy worker Janak Patel’s family has thanked the community for fundraising to support them as they grieve.

Patel, aged 34, was fatally stabbed during an alleged robbery at the Rose Cottage Superette on November 23.

The death sparked an outpouring of grief and anger in the community and the Dairy and Business Owners Group is raising money for the man’s family on Givealittle.

Group members and its chair Sunny Kaushal travelled to Hamilton on Monday to have a meeting with both sides of the family, including Patel’s parents, sister, and brother-in-law, as well as his wife and her parents.

A total of $101,754 raised from the fundraiser was transferred to Patel’s family.

Patel’s parents shared a letter thanking the community for their enormous support in a very “unfortunate circumstance”.

“With the sudden loss of Janak Patel in an unfortunate circumstance, we as the family have lost hugely and the gap will be hard to fill. We will no doubt have to move on and struggle without the breadwinner.

 “In such a situation, it was calming to see the entire community coming together. I had enormous support especially from the Indian High Commission to help organise and pay towards the cost of the funeral.”

Patel’s parents also thanked the Dairy Owners group for the immediate setting up of the Givealittle page to help collect funds for them.

“We have no appropriate words to thank you. Please accept our highest appreciation,” they said in the letter.

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Kaushal said this was the last thing the group wanted to raise money for.

“Mr Patel was a fine young fellow full of promise. No money can make up for his loss.

“We want Kiwis to know the family, which includes Mr Patel’s devastated widow, appreciate what you have donated in this most trying of times. We always knew the vast majority of Kiwis care because we are all whānau.”

Flowers and tributes outside the Rose Cottage Superette in Sandringham where shop worker Janak Patel died in an alleged armed robbery. Photo / George Block

Patel was farewelled at a service at Anns Funeral Home in Wiri on November 27 where hundreds gathered to pay their respects, including MPs and former politicians - including Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Mark Mitchell, Michael Wood and Kawaljit Singh Bakshi.

Patel and his wife had dreamt about running their own business, mourners were told at his funeral, which was also attended by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern embraces the grief-stricken wife of Janak Patel at Ann's Funeral home. Photo / Akula Sharma

The 34-year-old’s death sparked a large outcry among small business owners and workers across the country, with many calling for the Government to do more to combat crime.

Rose Cottage Superette reopened on December 30 with its owners returning from overseas.

The distinctive pink-coloured dairy on Fowlds Ave was temporarily closed after the incident.

“So, so great to see our Pink dairy is open this morning!”, a poster to the Sandringham AKL Community page on Facebook wrote.

“We had a lovely catch-up chat with [owner] Dharmesh, go show them some love and support, they really need it.”

The owner didn’t want to comment when contacted by the Herald.

Some who responded to the Facebook post asked if a Givealittle page could be set up, but the couple were insistent they didn’t want one, a poster who had spoken to them wrote.

They did not want the fanfare of a Givealittle page, however, “if anyone wants to join with me in organising a gift, please email me”, she wrote.

“Dharmesh and family have kindly requested that you support them by shopping local.

“They have been overwhelmed by the kindness and care over them and their shop whilst they were away, and are still processing the events.”

It had taken them “three days and four countries” to get home, leaving them exhausted, she wrote.

On December 13, three men appeared in the High Court at Auckland, together for the first time.

A 34-year-old Otahuhu resident pleaded not guilty to murder and aggravated robbery while his two co-defendants, 34-year-old Wiri resident Henry Fred and 42-year-old Otahuhu resident Shane Henry Tane, both pleaded not guilty to robbery.

Justice Sally Fitzgerald allowed interim name suppression to remain in place for the murder suspect.

She scheduled the trio’s next court appearance for March. The men were remanded back into custody.

A five-week trial was set down for May 20, 2024.