A horrific ‘hit and run’ accident on the Devonshire Castle public road, Essequibo Coast in the wee hours of Tuesday has left two fishermen dead and families thrown into a state of grief.
Dead are 50-year-old Mohan Maniram of Devonshire Castle and 22-year-old Zamaan Rafeek of Jib Paradise.
The News Room understands that Maniram was towing Rafeek on a bicycle when they were struck down by a speeding car at around 01:00hrs.
Maniram’s head was severed and left on the roadway while his body ended up in a nearby trench. Rafeek’s body, however, was recovered hours later from the same trench.
The driver, identified as 21-year-old Derendra Sitaram, of Devonshire Castle, fled the scene but was arrested later by the Police, who confirmed that he was under the influence of alcohol.
Police sources confirmed that he was the only occupant of the Black Toyota fielder wagon (PAD 831).
At the time of the accident, the fishermen were heading to the riverside to prepare to head out to sea.
Maniram’s sister, Bishoondai Maniram, told the News Room that she received the dreadful telephone call at around 01:00hrs; she went to the scene and saw her brother’s decapitated head on the roadway.
He leaves to mourn his wife and child.
Meanwhile at Paradise Jib, mother of Rafeek Zamaan, Saleema Shakoor, was trying to come to grips with losing her son.
She said he has been the sole breadwinner for the family since her husband fell sick some three months ago.
According to the distraught mother, when she realised her son did not return home, she visited the Anna Regina Police Station and on her way home, she passed the Police ranks at the accident scene as they recovered her son’s body.
The bodies are currently at the Suddie Mortuary awaiting autopsies.
I wonder if this driver who was DUI will be freed or receive a minimum sentence due to a technicality?
Whatever punishment these slayers of humans get, it seems not to deter anyone from using their motor vehicles as a dangerous weapon
Oh how sad. When will this drunken driving episode end. How terrific My sympathy goes out to their grieving families. What could I say to them at this stage to console them – absolutely nothing. May their souls rest in peace.