The Sikh community has raised thousands of dollars to help the mother of a man found dead at a construction site in Auckland.
Police have determined Charanpreet Dhaliwal, 22, died of head injuries after being assaulted a week ago.
His death is now being treated as a homicide.
The Supreme Sikh Council has collected $15,000 to return Mr Dhaliwal's body to his mother in India and help her travel to New Zealand.
Council president Daljit Singh says she wants to visit New Zealand to see the construction site where her son died and to meet the person responsible for his death when the investigation is complete.
Mr Singh says Mr Dhaliwal was a happy and kind man who contributed to the Sikh community and never drank alcohol.
He says the death is unlikely to have been racially driven and is more likely to be a case of Mr Dhaliwal being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Mr Singh says he is concerned about how the death will reflect on New Zealand's reputation as a safe place to study and work.
