The driver who struck down the younger brother of a popular Chutney singer, Mahendra Ramkellawan on Sunday evening while on the De Willem, West Coast Demerara (WCD) public road has been identified as a 28-year-old Gazetted Officer attached to the Joint Services.
This is according to a police statement today (Monday), which also disclosed that the officer’s alcohol level was above the legal limit at the time of the accident which left 27-year-old Roopchand Charles Ramkellawan dead.
According to police information, the accident occurred at about 22:20hrs, while Ramkellawan was crossing the road from south to north.
He was struck by the officer driving motor vehicle PWW5680, which was proceeding east along the northern carriageway.
Ramkellawan was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital and pronounced dead on arrival.
According to the police, Ramkellawan was also found to be in possession of an unlicenced pistol with four live rounds.
The joint services officer is presently in police custody.
Ramkellawan’s wife told this publication that she learnt of her husband’s death on Monday morning.
She related to INews that based on what she was told, at about 22:30hrs, her husband was returning home after visiting his 6-month-old baby at another WCD village, for Father’s Day.
However, on the way, he encountered a police road block on the De Willem public road.
He was reportedly stopped by traffic ranks and while Ramkellawan was in the process of crossing the road to meet with the officers he was struck down by a speeding motorcar.
In his car at the time was a cousin.
Ramkellawan leaves to mourn his child, wife, seven brothers and two sisters.
Meanwhile, the post mortem examination of Ramkellawan was done on Monday by Dr Nehaul Singh and the cause of death was listed as “multiple injuries to the body due to motor vehicle accident.”
Investigations are ongoing.
