Relatives of 75-year-old Ramdai Dookdat, who succumbed in hospital after she was struck down by a truck at Herstelling on Monday, are demanding justice.
According Desiree Narine, Dookdat’s daughter-in-law, the senior citizen
had no health complications except for minor arthritis and she had been making arrangements to go live with her son. But these plans were shattered on Monday. Dookdat had just exited a minibus and was attempting to cross the Herstelling Public Road around 1 PM, when she was struck down by the sand truck. She died at the Georgetown Public Hospital two days later after having one of her legs amputated.
A post-mortem examination revealed that she died from internal injuries she sustained from the accident, Narine said.
Her sudden demise has since left her only son Sahadeo, other relatives and villagers in a state of shock. “Is a old friend she visit and come back and she was going to cross the road when the truck run she ova,” said Narine. She explained that Dookdat, after exiting the minibus, had been waiting to cross the road and a minibus had stopped to allow her to cross. The truck, laden with sand, came from behind the minibus and slammed into her, running over her body.
The driver, who has since been released on station bail, according to Narine, did not realise that he had just run over the woman until an eyewitness called out to him.
Narine recalled that only recently the woman had visited and indicated that she wanted Narine to take care of her when she gets older.
Dookdat was independent and took care of herself. She was receiving her old age pension and as well as pension from the sugar estate where she worked as a labourer until her retirement.
The senior citizen maintained her own yard by weeding it with a cutlass and she would have lived for a very long time, had she not been hit by the truck, a relative opined.
Her husband passed away a few years ago, but before his death she had taken care of him for 20 years as he was bedridden, Narine said.
Since Sahadeo was her only child, she would often visit him and spend days with him and her two grandchildren before returning to her home.
Narine, fighting back tears, described her mother-in-law as very loving and caring and said she was also like a mother to her.
She said the elderly woman would buy snacks for children in her neighbourhood and would also cook for other senior citizens in the village whenever she collected her pensions.
The entire village will miss her since she was loved by all, Narine said.
She said after the accident, the badly injured woman could remember nothing that happened, but became manic and was only calling for her son. “All she was saying was ‘Buddy, Buddy, Buddy’ [the name she called her son]… I tell she meh deh here with you mommy and Buddy go come fu see you but she just keep calling fu Buddy,” said Narine.
Meanwhile, Narine said the entire family is very upset and although they are poor they are determined to see justice served.
Dookdat’s childhood friend Shirley Mangroo, who said that they worked in the back dam together, was also devastated by the news. She recalled that Dookdat would always accompany her to funerals and other events.
Dookdat’s body is expected to be cremated on Monday. (Roger Wong)
