Leguan youth dies by drowning

Mark Narine
Mark Narine

The death of a Leguan youth has left his family calling on the police to conduct a thorough probe into his death, since they believe foul play was involved.

An autopsy performed on 22 year-old Mark Narine, a labourer of Endeavour, Leguan, Essequibo River, gave his cause of death as drowning. The autopsy also revealed that Narine was severely beaten as evidence of blunt trauma was found on his face and hands.

His father Ramdat Narine, yesterday told Stabroek News that his family believes the police are dragging their feet on the investigation.

“I went to the station and corporal telling me that they need someone who see what happen to come forward… they are the police they supposed to go and investigate…” the grieving father said. He added that from all indications the police are not investigating the matter despite the autopsy indicating his son was beaten prior to his death.

The elder Narine yesterday related to this newspaper that at around 7.30pm, his son left home and went with some friends to a shop in Richmond, Leguan. According to the father, his son was seen by villagers drinking with his friends at the shop and sometime close to midnight they left the premises.

On Sunday morning, the father said his family received a call informing them of Mark’s body lying in the trench at Richmond Dam. When he got to the area, he recounted that his son’s body was lifeless.

“I really need justice for my son. He didn’t deserve to die like this. I spoke with the commander and he said they will investigate but I didn’t hear back anything… I don’t know if they are going to look for the friends when they leave the island…” the distraught father lamented.

Commander of ‘G’ Division Khali Pareshram yesterday confirmed that an investigation is underway. He however pointed out that the probe is not along the lines of a murder investigation given the results of the autopsy. Investigators have taken statements from persons, he related and explained that they will be seeking legal advice from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.