A New Jersey-based pensioner who was involved in an altercation at Tain, Corentyne on February 1 died four days later at the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) and two youths have since been taken into custody.
Reports are that 65-year-old Bansraj Nathoo of Whim was bleeding profusely from an injury he sustained to his left ankle and was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital.
The man’s sister, Rebecca Leitch told Stabroek News (SN) yesterday that her brother’s condition worsened and he had to be transferred to the GPH on Monday. Nathoo, a father of nine underwent surgery on Tuesday and died a few hours later.
She related that her brother was “having a drink with his friends” at Tain around 7 pm when “two boys drove away with his car.” The woman said police caught up with the youths and the car was subsequently returned to her brother.
She learnt that an argument then ensued between Nathoo and the youths and “they pushed him in the trench.” She said the men were detained at the Whim Police Station and were later released. But they were rearrested after she informed the police that her brother had succumbed.
This newspaper learnt from police sources however, that Nathoo asked one of the youths – whose father he was drinking with – to turn his car. Instead, the source said the unlicensed youth drove away with the car accompanied by his friend.
The youth spotted the police vehicle on patrol and started to panic. The police observed the car swaying and immediately gave chase. When they caught up with them the youths declared that Nathoo had sent them to purchase ‘cutters.’
Nathoo, on the other hand, vehemently denied the claim and he and the youths ended up in a scuffle and he fell into the trench and sustained a cut on his foot, according to reports.
The man’s sister told SN he was covered in “black mud” and had to be stripped of his shirt and shoes before being transported to the hospital.
She said her brother, who visited Guyana often, came in November – to avoid the winter – and was expected to return to shortly. The woman is calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and said apart from being a diabetic, her brother was quite healthy. She said he had gone to Tain to visit his girlfriend when the incident occurred.
Police said they are awaiting the results of the post-mortem before charges are instituted against the youths.
Meanwhile, the woman said she does not understand why she was asked to pay for the ambulance to cross with the ferry from New Amsterdam. (Shabna Ullah)
