By Subhana Shiwmangal
A 63-year-old housewife, Ena Seecharran, died yesterday after she was struck by a vehicle that was being driven by her son. He is now in police custody.
The crash occurred at her home at Lot 8 Saywah, Cane Grove, East Coast Demerara.
Police investigations revealed that the victim’s son, Haimnauth Basdeo, was in his car, HD 1726, which was parked on his parents’ driveway and preparing to leave. He started the vehicle and drove forward, crashing through the gate and striking Seecharan, who was standing behind the gate, and directly in front of the vehicle.
The left side of the car ran over the woman causing injuries. The vehicle ended up on a concrete wall in the yard and came to a standstill. The woman was picked up by her husband and rushed to the Mahaicony Public Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival.
Basdeo fled the scene, according to the police.
Seecharran’s husband, Parasdeo Basdeo, 64, told Stabroek News that his son was a frequent visitor to the home. At the time of the incident his son was leaving to go back home and he was standing on the parapet at the side of the bridge watching him go. He was expecting the car to reverse, but to his shock, the car revved and shot forward, hitting his wife who was standing behind the gate which she had already closed. The man recounted that the impact of the crash caused his wife to fall backwards while the car continued on over his wife and ended up against a concrete wall in the yard under a shed situated further in the yard.
Parasdeo was adamant that it must have been an accident. He said that his son did not flee the scene, but was in the car with them and was dropped off at the Mahaica road head before he took his wife to the Mahaicony Hospital. The father said that his son was injured and that he hurried to a private hospital for treatment.
Parasdeo added that his son turned himself in to the police and is currently in custody. He said that he would like his son to be released from custody as he posited that the incident was an accident. Relatives have also expressed the same view.
