By Abigail Headley
Just over a year after losing one of their sons in an accident, a Berbice mother and father are now in a worried state following the disappearance of one of their remaining two sons over a week ago.
Twenty-four-year-old Davindra Puran, who is a security guard, was last seen by a fellow workmate and neighbour of his parents on the morning of July 2 at around 6:00 AM.
According to Puran’s father Dave, on July 1 they were on their way to a funeral and decided to drop off lunch for their son at his worksite in New Amsterdam, and this was the last that they saw of him. The father explained that Davindra would usually work from 8:00 in the morning to 8:30 at nights and repeat the same shift the next day. He added that seeing as how his son is an adult and independently living on his own they were not aware that he was missing until after his workplace called to inform that Davindra had not reported for his 8:00 am shift on July 2.
The father also related that Davindra’s workmate showed up on the same morning, at their Rosehall home, to drop off some paperwork he had received from him at the worksite around 6:00 am. This newspaper understands that Davindra showed up two hours before his shift and handed the package to his workmate to give to his father when he arrived him. According to what the colleague told the father, it was thought that Davindra would have gone home after dropping off the package and would return later to start his shift. At the time, he was dressed in black pants and a black top with yellow boots.
Dave told Stabroek News that after hearing from the workplace about their son, they tried contacting him but got no response. He said they continued this and also made contact with relatives and friends (including the ex-partner, Nikita Romascindo) of the missing man while waiting for two days to pass, and they all said that they had not seen the young man. On the Tuesday following the disappearance, they filed a missing person’s report with the police.
The father related that on two separate occasions (about two days apart) he received messages from his son’s phone. The first message said “not having internet” and the next, “how are you”. In response to these messages Dave said he asked for his son to send him a voice note to let him know that he is okay and about his whereabouts, but this request was never granted.
“Sometimes when I call the phone would ring out and other times it would be turned off. I even sent a message telling him that we just want to know that he is okay and I told him we would make it known on social media that he is missing if he didn’t reply,” Dave noted.
The distraught father expressed concerns that his son might have gone somewhere to isolate himself since he has been in a somewhat depressed state since breaking up with his girlfriend of one year, about two months ago. He explained that his son and Nikita (who is from Bartica) were renting a place in New Amsterdam but after the breakup the young woman returned to her hometown while Davindra remained at the house.
“Since he and he girl break up like he take on and he started drinking and this is not like him. I think he just gone and isolate himself from people… because why would he do this?” the man surmised.
He added that the disappearance has been stressful on the home, especially given that they already lost one son in an accident in May of last year. “We expect him [Davindra] to be one of the stronger pillars of the home…”
Today is Davindra’s son’s third birthday and the family is hoping that he at least makes contact with his ex-wife to wish his son a happy birthday. Up to press time yesterday there were no positive updates as to the young man’s whereabouts.
“We just was him to understand that we love him and need him home,” Dave said.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Davindra Puran is asked to contact Dave on 648-1808 or Farina Puran (his mother) on 697-6823.
