Suspect in mechanic’s fatal beating escapes from custody

Less than one day after he surrendered to the police, the suspect in the fatal beating of mechanic Yugeshwar Shiwcharan escaped from the lockups at La Grange Police Station early yesterday morning and efforts are being made to locate him.

Stabroek News understands that the suspect, who has been identified as Anthony Jhagroo, 20, a labourer of Lot 494 Belle West, West Bank Demerara, escaped from the station lock-ups between 2 am and 3 am yesterday, through a hole on the southern side of the cell wall.

Up to late yesterday afternoon, the police were hunting for the suspect. A wanted bulletin is expected to be issued for him soon.

Yugeshwar Shiwcharan
Yugeshwar Shiwcharan

The suspect turned himself in on Tuesday morning, just one day after his mother, sister and sister-in-law were arrested for questioning. Following his surrender, they were released.

Shiwcharan, also known as ‘Shah Rukh Khan,’ 31, of Lot 485 Belle West, was beaten with a piece of wood minutes before midnight last Wednesday and succumbed to his injuries around 11 pm on Sunday.

He sustained severe injuries and had been admitted in a critical condition to the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Stabroek News understands that Shiwcharan was a known alcoholic and was on medication for an illness he had been diagnosed with a few months ago. Additional information revealed that prior to the beating, he had suffered a seizure.

This newspaper was told that hours before the incident, Shiwcharan had started to behave in a strange manner in his home and as a result his wife had locked herself in her bedroom. He then stripped off all of his clothes and made his way to his neighbour’s premises. The suspect had attempted to get Shiwcharan out of the yard, allegedly dealing him several cuffs and kicks about his body in the process. He left but returned some two hours later, at which point he was confronted. A scuffle ensued and he was badly beaten about his body. The suspect’s sister then alerted Shiwcharan’s brother, Maneshpaul, who picked him up from the roadway and took him to the hospital.

A post-mortem examination conducted yesterday on the remains of Shiwcharan revealed that he died as a result of blunt trauma to the head.