Murdered taxi driver laid to rest
WHEN taxi driver Rajendra Puran, aged 40, called “Rajesh”, left his home and loving family on the evening of May 2, his family had no inkling that they would be seeing their beloved husband and father alive for the last time. But the stark reality sank in yesterday afternoon during his funeral service at the Purans’ home at the Diamond Housing Scheme, before his body was taken away for interment.
Puran was found in a small drain with marks of violence on his face at Enmore, East Coast Demerara, at approximately 06:15hrs by Mr. Joseph Badal, called “Uncle Joe”, of 71 Logwood, Enmore, East Coast Demerara. According to Badal, he discovered Puran’s body lying in the small drain in front of his yard when he opened his door to retrieve his daily newspaper.
Puran’s hands were tied behind his back, his feet were bound, he was gagged, and he was bare-footed. His white Toyota Raum, HB 9875, was missing. It has not been found up to the time of writing.

Detectives at the scene where the body was discovered told the Guyana Chronicle that the man may have been the victim of a robbery/hijacking. They conjectured that he was probably killed elsewhere and then dumped in the drain.
Puran appeared to have been severely beaten about the face and body, with his own belt used to tie his hands behind his head, while a cloth was used to gag him. His feet were bound with duct tape. The only thing retrieved from his pockets was his rag.
Puran’s grieving wife, Vesta Puran, said that her husband left home for work on Wednesday at about 21:00hrs after having a bath and a meal.
She subsequently retired to bed, but awoke at about 02:00hrs on Thursday morning and realised that he had not returned home as usual. She tried to contact him via his cellular phone, but got no answer. After several attempts, she knew something was amiss, so she began telephoning his relatives and friends, hoping they knew of his whereabouts, but to no avail.
A telephone call from a friend, informing them of a body of a man that was found dead in Enmore sent them rushing to the area, where their worst fears were confirmed when they identified the body of the taxi driver.

Puran was, by all accounts, a very responsible, law-abiding citizen and an avid church-goer who not only took care of his own children, ensuring their safe return home from school, but one church member, in a stirring tribute during the funeral service at Puran’s home yesterday, testified to the murdered taxi driver’s caring behaviour in ensuring that his daughter also returned safely home. His 12-year-old son, Robin, wept copiously as he looked at the face of his father for the last time. This was no negligent father, but one who took his responsibilities seriously, and the murderers have left a family shattered – a wife left without a companion and support, a teenage daughter left without protection and fatherly guidance, and a little boy left without the perfect role model that his father was at this most critical juncture of his life.
Puran never got to know how well his adored son did at the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE), which he wrote last month; nor was he afforded the opportunity of supporting his 16-year-old daughter, Arita, who would shortly be writing the CSEC exams.
In a poignant tribute to her father, Arita related that her father left the security of tenured employment to start an independent cambio because he wanted to provide his family with all their material needs. The love was abundant and Arita related how her dad would ensure that they did not go in want by working all hours to provide for his family, additionally purchasing a car to provide even better for their needs.
However, those who refuse to work but instead prefer to prey on the unwary have visited upon the Puran family unutterable anguish as their loved one was taken from them in such a cruel way that would leave endless scars on their souls, and searingly painful memories for all of their lifetime.
In her eulogy to her father yesterday, Arita related that he was the beloved youngest brother of five brothers and five sisters, who took care of him when he was bereft of both parents at a very tender age. His siblings were inconsolable at his funeral.  Eldest brother, Nandkumar Puran, with whom he was particularly close, is the General Manager (ag) of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited (GNNL).
According to Mr. Puran, his youngest brother was very beloved by the family and had inculcated good values, never shirking a responsibility and always helpful and kind to everyone.
Officiating Pastor, Mr. Selwyn Rogers, lamented the frequency at which decent, hard-working persons were ruthlessly deprived of their hard-earned property, and even their lives, by evil degenerates who stalk society to rob and kill at will, and urged Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Raphael Trotman, who had attended the funeral, that legislation should be passed to ensure the perpetrators of these heinous crimes are caught and punished, because rather than decreasing, the incidence of robbery and murder is increasing, mainly because they most often go unpunished.
He emphasized that it is a national and societal fight, and that everyone should speak out when they witness a crime being committed, while recognizing that people are fearful because many times those who should protect the society are sometimes found to be in league with the criminals.
As the Speaker of the House remarked, these incidents are becoming too prevalent, and this wanton killing of innocent persons is very senseless and should be stopped at all cost.