An Adelphi man died yesterday midday after the tractor he was operating in a rice field located at the backlands of New Forest, Canje, Berbice, toppled, submerging him in the mud and pinning him to his death.
Dead is Hatim Khan, also known as `Jackson’, 64, of Lot 13 Adelphi Village, East Canje.
According to information gathered, Khan who transported school children on a daily basis, would visit the ranch regularly, since he was a friend of the owner and his workmen.
One of the workman, Michael Welch, who was at the backlands at the time of the incident, told Stabroek News, that he was riding a horse, going about his work, while Khan was operating the tractor in the rice field.
“Me hear the tractor make one hard sound, and when me watch back me see sheer smoke and then me run go,” he related.
Welch said that although he was a long distance away he rushed to the spot where Khan was. Upon reaching the scene of the accident, he said he saw the tractor on top of Khan.
“Is a mud and water rice field, me only see he hand and he foot when me meet,” Welch explained, adding that Khan was “smoothing the rice field to start plant.”
Khan’s wife, said he had left home early in the morning as he usually would. However, she said, when she received the message that the tractor had toppled with him, she could not believe it.
According to information gathered, he had taken the workmen to the backlands with his bus around 6 am, then he transported the children to school.
Welch said Khan then returned to the backlands around 11 am, and the incident occurred minutes after midday. Khan was a well-known man in the Canje area and was considered to be funny, kind and generous. Welch said, “He used to keep us lively, is a good man that, this sad what happen.”
The police have launched an investigation into the incident.
