– post-mortem
A post-mortem (PM) conducted yesterday on the remains of Surindranauth Bhoojnauth who was found hanging in the Mahaica Police Station lock-ups on Tuesday, showed that he died from asphyxiation due to compressive injury to the neck.
A press release from police said that after Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh performed the PM on Bhoojnauth the cause of death was given as asphyxiation due to compression injury to neck.
The PM was performed at the Georgetown Hospital mortuary.
Speaking to Stabroek News yesterday via telephone Bhoojnauth’s sister Nalini Chowbay said that she was told that her brother sustained a hit in his eye but that did not killed him. She said that she was told that he died from asphyxiation.
Bhoojnauth, 31 of Belmont, Mahaica will be buried tomorrow.
During a previous interview the man’s relatives had questioned the reason for him being allowed into the lock-ups with his belt. According to them this was against the regular procedure and this was confirmed by several high ranking law enforcement officials this newspaper spoke with.
Chowbay had disputed the police version saying that she finds it hard to believe that he would commit suicide over a minor report when he had gone though a lot worse.
According to her, he was charged with murder, had several minor court matters, had mental issues following a fall from a hotel roof in 2000 and was unable to use one of his feet fully due to burns he sustained. However, he never showed any signs that he wanted to take his own life although he would tell persons to kill him when he was very angry.
A complaint has since been lodged with the Police Complaints Authority (PCA).
Police in a press release had said that investigations revealed that Bhoojnauth had attended the Mahaica Magistrate’s Court where he appeared before Magistrate Yohannseh Cave on a charge of threatening language committed on Anita Ramjohn also of Belmont, Mahaica. During the trial the magistrate adjourned court for a short while at which time Ramjohn went across to a shop opposite the police station for snacks. He reportedly followed and began to abuse the woman.
As a result she made a report to the police and Bhoojnauth was arrested and placed to sit on the bench in the Enquiries Office. While Ramjohn was being questioned by the police in relation to the abuse, Bhoojnauth got up and cuffed her to her face in the presence of the ranks, the release stated.
Subsequently he was placed in the lock-ups pending the resumption of court. When court resumed around 2:30 pm, the police went to the lock-ups with the intention of escorting him to court but he was found hanging by his leather belt from the ventilation window on the door of the lock-ups, the statement said.
Bhoojnauth was taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
