A POST mortem examination done on the body of the 22-year-old market vendor, who sunk in a canter truck in which she was travelling on Sunday on the Demerara Harbour Bridge after it toppled overboard, revealed that she died from drowning.Drowning is a form of asphyxia due to aspiration of fluid into air-passages, caused by submersion in water or other fluid. Complete submersion of the nose and mouth for a sufficient period can cause death from drowning.
Gangadai Persaud of Tuschen New Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, who is a mother of a nine-month-old baby, was heading to the Plaisance Market on the East Coast Demerara with her husband Dhanram Ramdeo Ramall, called ‘Rico’.
Ramlall who was the driver of the canter truck noticed that a bag of boulanger (egg plant) had dropped off the canter while he was heading east on the Harbour Bridge. The driver, in order to retrieve the bag decided to reverse on the ramp and his wheel mounted the ridge of the retractor span on the bridge, causing the entire vehicle to topple overboard.
The 26-year-old Ramlall swam to safety as Persaud who was pinned in the passenger seat succumbed after the vehicle sunk in the Demerara River. The driver was taken into police custody at the Providence Police Station. A diver assisted with locating the canter that was submerged. Several Harbour Bridge staff also assisted, using a hydraulic crane to aid with the retrieval of the canter truck.
The woman was pulled out of the vehicle from the front windscreen and taken by speed boat to another section of the bridge where she was placed in a hearse that took the body to Lyken Funeral Parlour. According to Police Commander ‘A’ Division Clifton Hicken, a file was being prepared based on the evidence that exists. This file will be sent to the Director of Public Prosecution, after which relevant charges will be made.