-likely struck by falling rocks
The Police say they are investigating a mining site incident which occurred at about 23.57 hours on Thursday at a mining site located at Marudi Backdam, Deep South, Rupununi that resulted in the death of Peter Smith, a 55-year-old farmer of Brazil and Aishalton Village.
Inquiries revealed that numerous persons would visit mining sites in the area during the day and night and would use hammers and chisels to break off small pieces of rock, which they would then carry away in ‘salt bags’ and crush to extract raw gold. These men were constantly being chased out of the mining site, but they persisted in their efforts and would allegedly make threats to shoot workers with arrows.
An excavator operator who was working at one of the sites told police that he saw three persons with flashlights on their heads, walking in the direction where some rocks had fallen. He said he heard a ‘cracking’ sound and saw two persons running away. He decided to investigate and discovered Smith’s body wedged between two large rocks.
The police were summoned and they visited the scene. They observed the lifeless body of the victim stuck between two rocks with marks on his head, neck, chest, back, and abdomen.
The body was then removed and taken to the Lethem Regional Hospital where it awaits a post-mortem examination.
Investigations are ongoing.
