‘Inspector Gadget’ dead
Fingerprints identify Middle Road body
Stabroek News
November 16, 2002
The police have positively identified the body of the man shot in Middle Road, La Penitence on Thursday night as wanted man Premkumar Sukraj better known as ‘Inspector Gadget’.
The body of Sukraj, who is also known as Amar, was discovered at around 8:30 pm on Thursday at Bel Air Cross Dam, La Penitence a few minutes after residents heard gunshots.
A police press release yesterday said they are investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the convicted felon identified by fingerprint examination.
Contacted yesterday prison officials said that Sukraj was once an inmate of the Georgetown Prison on remand but was subsequently granted bail. The officials said the man was on remand for robbery under arms and the matter was pending at the Providence Magistrate’s Court.
The police release said the body, with gunshot wounds to the back of the neck and side of the head, was clad in a black three-quarter pants with white vest and t-shirt and a ‘Nike Shok’ pair of sneakers. A black stocking mask, a blue Nike cap and a multi-coloured rag were also found at the scene.
According to the release the deceased was wanted by the police in connection with a series of murders, kidnappings, robberies, extortions and rapes.
The release did not disclose any information on the circumstances under which the wanted man died.
This newspaper was told on Thursday evening by residents in the area that four men were seen entering the dam. The residents said from all indications the men appeared to have known each other.
One resident recalled that there were three gunshots and upon investigating residents found the man’s body lying on the dam face down.
Some said the other three men escaped in the direction of Laing Avenue. Some residents had said on Thursday they suspected the man was `Inspector Gadget’ as he was often seen in the area. The man’s body was later removed from the scene by employees of Lyken’s Funeral Home and up to late last evening Stabroek News understands that no relative had gone to identify the body.
According to reports, police ranks and prison officials went to the parlour yesterday morning and identified the man’s body.
Sukraj’s killing is another in a series of shootings of criminals and others by unknown gunmen. The police have not been able to identify the killer or killers in these incidents.
Sukraj gained notoriety in early August when the police issued a bulletin for him stating that he was wanted for a series of robberies. They gave the 22-year-old man’s last known address as, Lot 35 Groenveldt Pasture, West Coast Demerara and Buxton, East Coast Demerara. The police, who at the time had said he was a fisherman, had described him as armed and dangerous.
After the bulletin the man was accused of being involved in a number of crimes by sections of the media. He was reported to have donned several disguises including those of a woman and a beggar.
He was also reported as being spotted in many parts of the country.
Another bulletin was issued for the man in relation to the murder of Inspector Leyland October who was gunned down on September 6 just after purchasing ice cream for his children at a shop at Russell and Sussex streets. The police had said that Sukraj along with Romel Reman, Michael Singh and Shawn Gittens had been wanted in connection with the murder. Singh later turned himself in to the police who released him without instituting a charge.
The first mystery shooting was that of wanted man, Andrew Douglas, one of the five men who broke out of prison on February 23. His bullet-riddled body was found in a car on August 26 at Farm, East Coast Demerara. On October 28 another Mash Day escapee, Mark Fraser along with Lancelot Roach were shot to death by unknown gunmen at Annandale. On that same date the body of Mark Singh was discovered in Le Repentir Cemetery.
And on November 4 five men were gunned down execution style at the corner of Robb & Light Streets by unknown gunmen who were said to be travelling in a car.
The five, Othneil Embrack called ‘Agouti’, Dereck Torrington called ‘Jack About’, Basdeo Dyal called `Buckman’, Oliver Springer and Andrew Mc Pherson, were said to have been in two cars and they were apparently escaping from the gunfire.
Two days after, on November 6, Amernauth Meerah was shot several times by unknown gunmen on the East Coast Public Road. The man, who is now seeking medical treatment in Trinidad, was chased by the gunmen and had to seek cover in a trench.
And on Tuesday the body of Randolph Chapman called `Super Cat’ was discovered on Company Road, Buxton. The man was wearing a blue bulletproof vest.
