McDoom man dies after hit by bus

A man died on the spot last evening after he was struck down by a speeding minibus on the McDoom Public Road, East Bank Demerara.

Dead is Kawall Kassiram, 47, of Lot 10 McDoom, East Bank Demerara.

Reports are that around 7:30 last evening, Kassiram was attempting to cross the eastern carriageway of the McDoom Public Road when he was struck down by a speeding minibus, which was headed south along the road at the time. The man died on the spot.

According to one eyewitness, the man was said to be drunk at the time of the incident. “The man would normally come at my shop before it open to drink until late in the day, up to this evening he was at me shop drinking,” said the witness, who claimed he knew Kassiram very well.

He added that the man’s parents died some years ago and he did not have any relatives here in Guyana. He said a brother who resides overseas was informed of Kassiram’s death last evening.

Another eyewitness told this newspaper that the minibus stopped some 400 feet away from the spot where Kassiram was struck down. “The man got hit down and de bus continue driving, he neva came out to see if de man dead or alive, de bus would a neva stop if de police van didn’t stop it,” the witness said.

At the accident scene last evening, residents expressed their concerns about the amount of road accidents that have occurred since this year commenced. “What are the police officers doing about this? Drivers killing people on de road and all them getting is a six months in prison…. These authorities really need to protect road users before things really get out of hand if is not already,” one person said.

The driver of the bus was taken into police custody.