Family suspects Angoy’s Avenue murderer was beaten before death

The family of Narindra ‘Dado’ Thakoor, of Angoy’s Avenue, New Amsterdam, who police say poisoned himself after he hacked his former partner to death, is claiming that there were signs he may have been beaten before he suddenly died.

Thakoor, who had shared a common-law relationship for seven years with Bhanmattie Devi Bacchus, 28, died of poisoning on January 16 at the New Amsterdam Hospital, where medical officials had earlier in the day told police he had not consumed any poison.

Narindra Thakoor
Narindra Thakoor

It was while in custody at the Central Police Station that Thakoor began vomiting and under questioning he later admitted that he had indeed ingested poison, leading police to take him back to the hospital, where he succumbed.  An autopsy performed by pathologist Dr Vivekanand Brijmohan subsequently found that Thakoor had died of organophosphate poisoning.  His legal wife, Zabeeda Thakoor, and other relatives are claiming that the man’s body bore marks of violence. The family is alleging that the police were responsible for the marks of violence.

However, a source explained to Stabroek News that a medical certificate along with the post-mortem examination results declared that there were no marks of violence on Thakoor’s body.

The source noted that there were a few marks on the deceased’s body but explained that these could have been injuries the man sustained while he was trying to escape.

Thakoor was found half naked in the backdam after fleeing from the scene of the murder. He was later apprehended by police officers and taken to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Thakoor was left at the institution for observation after it was suspected that he might have consumed poison, a senior police source explained. The source also said that officers who caught Thakoor did not hesitate to take him to the hospital in the light of the suspicions that he had consumed poison.

The source further stated that when police officers returned to check on him, a doctor told them that Thakoor had not consumed any poisonous substance, after which he was taken into full police custody.

According to the source, Thakoor was later found to be unresponsive to questions asked by investigators. The investigators offered to take him back to scene and let him explain what happened but he told them that he could not walk. When asked why, he told the investigators that he had consumed poison.   Thakoor was then rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Stabroek News approached the hospital for a comment but was told that the CEO of the hospital was engaged in other activities. A hospital official said that an investigation was launched into the diagnosis of Thakoor’s condition at the hospital but could not provide details about the findings.

Police had said there was an argument between Thakoor and Bacchus and he attacked her with a cutlass, which he used to inflict chops to her neck and other parts of her body. Although they had separated, Bacchus had met with Thakoor on the morning of her death at his request, in an attempt to reconcile.