A field foreman attached to the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GuySuCo) Skeldon estate was found dead behind a popular backtrack boating service at Springlands, Corentyne early yesterday morning and an autopsy revealed that he was strangled.
Details surrounding the death of Ravindranauth Tirka called ‘Engine,’ 52, of Lot 498 Block 16 Line Path, Corentyne are sketchy. However, according to reports, Tirka’s body was found sometime around 5:30 am yesterday and blood was oozing out of his nostrils and he was lying face down. It also appeared as though the man was robbed as personal items were missing.
Tirka’s wife Radica called “Mala” said that at around 6:30pm on Monday, she spoke to her husband and he informed her that he would be home at around 7pm. After she noticed that 7pm had passed, she called his phone but only got his voicemail. The distraught wife recalled that when she woke up yesterday, she did not see Tirka and told their 19-year-old son.
He reportedly told his mother to report to the estate that Tirka was sick. Radica recalled that she subsequently left for the Skeldon Hospital to seek medical attention. While there, she received a telephone call from the police and was told that they needed to speak to her urgently and they asked if she could return home. The woman recalled that when she asked what had happened, she was told the tragic news. Subsequently, she left the hospital and along with other relatives, accompanied the police to the scene and positively identified the body as that of her husband.
Meanwhile, another relative, Devika Permaul told Stabroek News that at around 6am, her neighbour called out to her and asked if she heard that Tirka had drowned. Permaul said that she did not know and she and the neighbour left and went over to her sister’s house. When they arrived, they saw a police officer and heard him asking her nephew if his father was called ‘Engine.’ The woman said that when she enquired from the officer what had happened, he related the story.
According to Permaul, at the scene, it was observed that Tirka’s face was partially buried in a heap of sand. She noted that his pockets were empty and cash along with his identification card and an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card were missing. Tirka was also robbed of a hand band worth approximately $200,000 and his cellular phone.
Permaul stated that from all indications, it seemed that Tirka put up a fight with his assailants as he was formally dressed and the clothes were dishevelled.
Additionally, Permaul related that on Monday afternoon, Tirka received a call and was told by the caller that the estate manager had a function and his presence was requested. But when estate officials visited the family yesterday to sympathise after hearing the tragic news, they told the family that the estate did not host any function, Permaul said.
Meanwhile, an autopsy performed yesterday at the Skeldon hospital mortuary revealed that Tirka was strangled.
He leaves to mourn his wife, two children and other relatives and friends. Police investigations are continuing.
