IT has been several weeks since 57-year-old Pooran Saroop, called ‘Biko’, a bedridden pensioner of Brother’s Village, East Bank Berbice, was found lying motionless in a pool of blood in his modest dwelling, with an incised injury to the back of his head.

A post-mortem report prepared by Dr Vivikanand Brijmohan recorded the cause of death as cerebral haemorrhage.

Berbice sleuths have since released Saroop’s caregiver — Seelall Madaya, called ‘Little’, formerly of Fyrish Village, Corentyne — on station bail pending further investigations.

Police are now turning their attention to another suspect, who was seen imbibing with fellow villagers on July 29. That suspect has not been seen since that ghastly incident that left residents in shock.

Pooran Saroop, a former sawmill employee, previously lived alone, but was recently being cared for by the 37-year-old Madaya, who was detained by the police after he had reported the murder, and he continues to assist police with their investigations.

Villagers have said that Madaya and other residents had been imbibing alcohol earlier in the afternoon, and he had left for home at about 17:00 hrs.
Mayada told this reporter that after he had imbibed alcohol, he tidied and dressed Saroop, and placed him in his bed.

Madaya said he had met Saroop two months ago through a man named ‘Patrick’, who had initially taken him to the East Bank to work with him, but after having several altercations with Patrick’s son, ‘Patrick’ had referred him to the sickly ‘Biko’, who lived alone.

“I used to care for the man. I used to bathe he and cook he breakfast. Another neighbour used to provide him lunch every day. I used to wash his clothes. He never give me money. He even borrow $7000 to go and see Dr Sugrim. He was to go tomorrow [Thursday]. He had already make arrangement for the car to pick he up. When me wake up this morning [Wednesday] me call pon he, but he nah answer, me see blood and me call the neighbour, and den she leh me go at the station and mek a report.

“Me nah know nothing, me bin drunk,” he related in the creolese dialect spoken by locals.

However, his neighbour, Chandrai Sahadeo, recalled hearing a loud groaning sound emanating from where the man slept — under a bottom house with makeshift partitions.

“It was at about 22:00hrs when I heard a loud groaning as if somebody in pain. My son looked out from the verandah, but he did not see anything. I looked out too, I did not see anyone exiting or entering the yard. This morning ‘Little’ tell me the man look like he dead, I tell he go report it at the station.”

Villagers have described Saroop as a peaceful man who lived alone most of his life. However, they posited that robbery may have been the killer’s intention, as Saroop had been visited by an overseas-based relative who had given him money, which was handed over to a relative for safe keeping.
By Jeune Vankerick