Rice farmer Guyra Shurttie Chunnilall left his Number 64 Village home to attend to his cultivation plot in the backlands on Monday, but was later found in an unconscious state at the Number 69 Middle Walk, Corentyne, Berbice.  By 04:00hrs yesterday, he was dead. His cousin, Reshma Dhanai, told the Guyana Chronicle last evening that the 28-year-old farmer left his home shortly after midday on Monday, but never returned.  She said a nurse who lived a short distance away telephoned the family home, enquiring about the whereabouts of Shurttie, as he was fondly called.
She told them that he had had an accident and was at the Skeldon Hospital, but was about to be transferred to the New Amsterdam Hospital.

Dhanai who took the telephone call, said she immediately called Shurttie’s father-in-law, Ronald, and asked him to bring his car to transport the family members to the New Amsterdam Hospital. 

When they arrived there they saw Shurttie lying unconscious in the emergency unit of the institution. They were advised by staff there to wait at the Out-Patients Department.  Hours later they were informed that he had passed away.

His body reportedly bore bruises and head injuries.

Chunnilal is survived by his wife Gaitree- who lives abroad and is expected to arrive in the country today- their two-year-old son; his 63-year-old mother and other relatives.

A post mortem is to be performed on the body on Friday.