In gruesome accident…
–   10 others injured
A THIRTY-YEAR-OLD minibus conductor, Arvin Ramroop was decapitated in a most gruesome road accident at Conversation Tree along Rupert Craig Highway, Greater Georgetown, around 10:30 h yesterday. His skull was crushed and he died before reaching Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH) while 10 other persons were injured.
Ramroop was working on BKK 2686, which plies route 44 and was involved in a collision with motor car, HB 4410, and a pick-up, PKK 545.
The bus had left the city and was proceeding to Annandale, East Coast Demerara, when the accident occurred.
Ramroop also leaves to mourn his wife and two children, a five-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl.
One of the bus passengers, who managed to escape unscathed, 26-year-old Robin Haniff said the vehicle was travelling at a relatively fast rate.
“I was in the back seat. Everything happened so fast,” he said.
According to him, they were at the intersection by Conversation Tree when the bus tried to swerve from the car but skidded and turned turtle, crushing Ramroop whose body was halfway out the window, a common stance of most mini-bus conductors.
Reports from the GPH confirmed that the others injured are in stable condition.
But the driver, Kumar Budram, 32, is in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
A relative of his, who asked not to be named, said when admitted there, Budram was bleeding through his ears and nose and vomiting blood.
Among the rest, Renee Majid, 54, of Mon Repos, suffered injuries to one arm and foot but was treated and sent away.
Thirty-seven-year-old Latchmin Gobin, of Meten-Meer-Zorg, West Coast Demerara, hurt her knee and right side face. She was treated and sent away, as well.
Those who were still being attended to at the GPH include 22-year-old Navin Deokarran, of Lot 30 Ogle. He has lacerations on his left hand and received treatment in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Ward.
Ravina Baljit, 22, of Sparendaam, ECD, has lacerations to her left hand and head and was admitted to the Female Surgical Ward.
Sharden Mangra, 46, of Annandale, is suffering lacerations to her neck, head and shoulder and is being treated in the A&E Ward.
Sixty-five-year-old Bibi Shira, of Canal Number One, West Bank Demerara, another A&E patient, was injured on one shoulder and has a swollen forehead.
Thomati  Sukhram, 68, of Mon Repos, hurt one shoulder, back and head and was admitted to the Female Surgical Ward.
Raywattie Gill, 54, of Lusignan, was also  admitted to the Female Surgical Ward, with injuries to one shoulder, head and hand.
Twenty-eight-year-old Alicia Hendricks, of Beterverwagting, also on the East Coast of Demerara, was attended to at the A&E Ward, for injuries to her left side face and right hand.
The atmosphere at the accident scene was permeated with stench and blood, leaving a poignant reminder of the dangers of speeding.
Police maintained a strong presence at the intersection to direct traffic and ensure order, as a large crowd gathered.
Transport and Hydraulics Minister Robeson Benn, who arrived there, observed that speeding at that particular intersection has, for years, been the major cause of accidents.
He appealed for cautious driving and added that engineers from his ministry were “looking into the incident.”