An Onderneeming, Essequibo Coast family is mourning the death of their 19-year-old family member, who was struck down and killed on Friday evening.
Rajendra Anauge, called “Vijay”, of Section B Onderneeming, was killed about 18:40h on the Onderneeming Public Road after he was struck by a speeding motor car. The driver, a teacher, was allegedly drunk.
At the young man’s home on Saturday morning, his family was in a state of shock as they continue to come to grips with the fact that he is dead. Relatives, neighbours and friends gathered at the residence to lend support as they prepared for the wake and funeral.
Anauge’s mother, Omawattie Singh, told Guyana Times International that the family was very poor and that “Vijay”, her eldest child, worked very hard to maintain his young wife, parents, sister and five-year-old brother, who are all living in the same house.
Friday’s accident was the first fatality in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) for 2019.
This newspaper understands that the teenager left home in the company of his cousin, and was heading to the Onderneeming Sand Pit Housing area when he was struck down.
According to Police reports, motor car PSS 7038 was proceeding north along the road reportedly at a fast rate of speed and while negotiating a right turn, the driver lost control of the vehicle and hit the teenager.
The driver, a teacher at Suddie Primary School, picked up the unconscious and badly injured teenager and rushed him to the Suddie Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
According to persons who witnessed the accident, Anauge reportedly died on the spot. His body is currently at the Onderneeming Funeral Home awaiting an autopsy.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old teacher, a resident of Suddie Housing Scheme, failed a breathalyser test and was since taken into Police custody, where he is assisting with the investigation. He is expected to be charged and placed before the courts in the coming days.