The body of a 23-year-old man was yesterday morning pulled out of the conservancy canal at Naamryck, Parika Backdam on the East Bank Essequibo and a post-mortem examination revealed that he died of chop wounds to the back of his neck.
Yesterday afternoon the police were grilling six persons including his reputed wife with whom he was drinking when he was last seen alive on Boxing Day.
Ramkissoon Persaud called 'Rohit' was last seen alive on Boxing Day when he was having a few drinks at a friend's home not far away from his own. Later in the night he left and was never seen again.
His grieving family was in a state of shock over his sudden demise. They told Stabroek News yesterday that when he wasn't seen the day after Boxing Day his wife informed them that he hadn't returned home since then. As the day progressed and he still wasn't seen, they began a search for him. They searched from late afternoon on Wednesday until 1 am yesterday and then gave up when he wasn't found. When the search resumed early yesterday morning the search party stumbled upon his body in the canal. The police were informed and they arrived later in the morning. His brother-in-law, Omar Jeffers, who was one of the persons who pulled the body out of the canal, told Stabroek News that when the body was pulled out of the canal, the flesh on the left side of his neck and face was stripped clean away and there were other marks of violence on his face. It was suspected that he had been murdered and the police took his wife and the five other persons with whom he was drinking for questioning. Yesterday this newspaper observed that the police along with several of the suspects had returned to the scene and up to late last night detectives were grilling them about their activities on the night of the incident.
Meanwhile, a post-mortem examination was done on the body yesterday afternoon and it revealed that Persaud died from chop wounds sustained to the left side of his neck.
Grieving relatives gathered at his parents' home yesterday and loud wails engulfed the home as they tried to absorb the fact that Persaud was murdered. His father, Ajit Narine was in deep shock over his son's murder, "they chop he and throw he in the trench", he lamented.
Persaud was described as a "quiet chap" who never had problems with anyone. Relatives said that when he drank he would normally go home peacefully. They said that he had a rocky relationship with his reputed wife of six years and after their rows he would normally go to his parents' home and spend a few days before returning home. His two children, five-year-old and one-and-a-half year old boys lived at their grandparents after his reputed wife reportedly "never have time for them"
Persaud was a farmer and a part-time mason. He leaves to mourn his two sons, his parents, four siblings and other relatives. His funeral will take place tomorrow.