THE body of 23-year-old Mahindra Sugrim, who was killed in a horrific accident on the Schoonord Public Road, West Bank Demerara just over a week ago, was on Wednesday cremated at the Ruimzeigt Cremation Site, West Coast Demerara.Cremation of the body works auto-mechanic of Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, was attended by loud eruptions of wailing as hundreds joined in paying him their last respects, mourning his tragic loss, and consoling his parents Mr. and Mrs. Jagdesh Sugrim and his sister Arti and other family members.

Mahindra met his demise when one of two Tacoma motor vehicles which had reportedly been racing on the main West Bank thoroughfare, lost control and hit the other Tacoma and a Toyota Carina before eventually crashing into Mahindra’s Avensis motor car, number PRR 5229, causing it to end up in a canal that runs alongside the road. Mahindra suffered multiple injuries as authenticated by the post-mortem performed on Tuesday last.

His family members are now trying to verify reports that a policeman from within the sub-division was overseeing the Tacoma race which claimed Mahindra’s life.

His deeply distraught mother Mrs. Sugrim, has said that a police rank informed the family that the driver responsible for Mahindra’s death was placed on station bail, and that the file is with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) pending advice.

She also said that a particular police rank, who had asked her how she had acquired money to buy an Avensis car, seemed quite eager to have the post-mortem performed and the body disposed of. She said he had called her on Thursday night to tell her that the P.M. would be done on Friday (next day) and she should fast track plans for Mahindra’s cremation.

She said that out of curiosity, she called his number at 11:38pm the same night and he replied, but he is now denying ever having called her.

The post-mortem was, however, performed on Monday and the cremation took place on Wednesday. “I am still wondering what was his special interest in my child’s cremation,” Mrs. Sugrim pondered.

She said she met the grandmother of the offending motorist while at La Grange, and that the woman visited her home the following day to offer her sympathy. She added that the offender’s mother lives abroad, and that he had grown up with his father and stepmother.

The offender’s father has taken the accident badly, and was too emotional to meet with the bereaved Sugrim family.
(Shirley Thomas)