GUYANA – Taxi driver in police custody died from suffocation/asphyxiation

GEORGETOWN – Relatives of 39-year-old Lallbacchan Bacchan, who died on July 1,2019 while in custody at the Suddie Police Station on the Essequibo Coast, are seeking answers from the authorities regarding his death.

The man’s family members are also calling on the Minister of Public Security, Khemraj Ramjattan to launch an investigation into his death.A post-mortem examination conducted by pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh on Monday revealed that Bacchan died from asphyxiation or fracture larynx.

The man’s family members said that thus far, they are  dissatisfied with polices’ actions and they believe that the man was beaten to death while in the lock-ups since the police were looking for him in connection with two drunk driving charges.

Relatives have also claimed that a particular traffic rank was ‘harassing’ for weeks Bacchan and it was revealed that the particular rank had contacted them, prior to the man’s death, regarding the drunk driving charges.They said  the rank requested a sum of $100,000.

The man’s mother said that her the son was told by his cousin not to attend court at the appointed time since he claimed that a police officer received $25,000 to ensure the matter was settled. However, she said that she advised her son to attend court and plead guilty and let the magistrate decide the way forward. But she noted that her son was fearful of the police.

“He was scared, he didn’t want his license to be revoke, but his cousin assured him that the money was paid to the police officer to finish the matter, my son had completely stopped operating on the road as a hire car driver, he was just dropping his children to school and return, he was fearful of the traffic police,” the distraught mother said.

The pensioner said that the family is poor and as such, they cannot hire a private lawyer to fight their case. She said the family is therefore calling on the Minister of Public Security to intervene in the matter.

She said her son’s death was too sudden for a traffic offense and contended that he was not a murderer.

Police issued a statement on Monday stating that the prisoner may have fallen in the lock-ups, causing him to suffer injuries.

However, relatives are contending that Bacchan went into the lock-ups on June 28, 2019 and seemed normal. They said he was not suffering from any illness nor did he had any marks about his body.

They have also said that on Monday when they viewed his body at the funeral parlour, it was swollen and that he had a bump to his head and bruises about his body. They are questioning how the man sustained such injuries as they reminded this publication that he went to the police station without any marks.

Bacchan was arrested on Sunday after two warrants were issued for him for driving under the influence of alcohol.

In response to the allegations, Commander of ‘G’ Division of the Guyana Police Force, Khalid Pareshram, said that an investigation has been launched.

Hire car drivers on the Essequibo Coast also expressed shock over his demise as they too noted that the particular traffic rank has been constantly “harassing” them on the roadway. (Guyana Chronicle)