THE legal fraternity was plunged into mourning with the sudden passing of well known criminal lawyer Vicramaditya ‘Vic’ Puran, 57, of Barr Street, Kitty, Georgetown, who died on Monday evening reportedly after his blue Toyota Tundra careened off the Mahaicony Branch Road and ended up in a canal at Esau and Jacob, Mahaicony, East Coast Demerara.

Reports suggest that the man was returning from his pig farm, which he had earlier visited and had taken food for the animals. Puran reportedly travelled to the farm daily.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle at the scene of the accident yesterday morning, an employee of the farm said he would usually remonstrate with Puran about the times he chose to travel to the farm. He said he was always concerned for the man’s safety, especially as Puran would sometimes remain in the lonely area until late at nights.
According to the man, Puran would usually be “beating the road” (driving at high speed) to get in and out of the area.
During a visit to the scene yesterday, this publication was informed that after the vehicle and body had been discovered, a high police presence soon became evident, and police maintained a distance perimeter around the body and vehicle as they conducted their investigation.
The man’s vehicle was already pulled from the trench when this publication visited, and his body lay close by, covered with a huge cloth. The vehicle was dented on the right side, and mud was very much in evidence. The Chronicle was told that when the vehicle was discovered, it was in a ‘bottoms up’ position.
A family member told this newspaper that the family is aware that Puran would usually visit his farm daily. The man confirmed that Puran had gone to visit the farm yesterday, but he did not return home by a certain time, and calls to his phone went unanswered.
The man said the family had checked with the employees at the farm, and it was confirmed that he had visited. The employee also confirmed that Puran had showed up at the farm alone, and had left alone. That was when family members got suspicious.
The young man explained that family members had attempted to make a missing person’s report at the police station on Monday night, but the gates and doors of the station had been shut tight.
A resident told this publication that he was heading into the area when he noticed a vehicle lying in the trench with its wheels in the air while the top of the vehicle was partly submerged.
The man said he rode to his cousin’s house and informed him that a vehicle was in the trench. Refusing to give his name, the man said that at the time he had noticed the vehicle, he did not realise that someone was inside of it. He said his cousin who owns a tractor arrived on the scene and pulled the slightly damaged vehicle to the roadside, after which he realised that someone was in the vehicle, and later positively identified that someone as the prominent attorney.
Puran’s family members were unwilling to speak to the media, saying that the prominent lawyer had always requested to be free from the media spotlight should anything happen to him. The man’s wife said she was hoping that the media would respect that wish and honour the man in that way.
Puran’s death saw the presence of several investigators at the scene, including the Commander of Police ‘C’ Division.
Vic Puran was well known for his persuasive and convincing arguments, which most times saw him being able to secure bail for persons in high-profile court cases. Among those cases were that of the late former Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, and recently, Guyana’s Home Affairs Minister Clement Rohee on the Commission of Inquiry that is presently looking into the shootings and protest in Linden.
Incidentally, this popular attorney, who had accompanied the recently executed Ricardo Rodrigues to the police after a bulletin was issued for the latter’s arrest, died just hours after Rodrigues had been gunned down in a hail of bullets at a sports club.
Yesterday, many persons took to the social network sites, Facebook and Twitter, giving their own theory of what may be responsible for the death of the well-known attorney. There were also several broadcasts circulating on BlackBerry Messenger, mirroring posts and comments on the two social network sites.
Puran leaves to mourn his wife, children, and other relatives and friends.