Body was left for four hours

Grieving relatives of Krishna Santokhie, the country’s 109th road fatality, is calling on Minister of Health Colm Imbert to order an immediate investigation into the four-hour delay by the District Medical Officer to view Santokhie’s body on Monday. Sarika Santokhie, the daughter of the dead man, described as “disgusting” the failure by the authorities to ensure that the body of her father was viewed shortly after his death and removed to the mortuary. She said that the body of her father was left in his car for more than four hours before it was removed. Santokhie died around 10 am and his body was  viewed only around 2 pm. Relatives of the dead man said that they stood in pouring rain awaiting the arrival of the DMO and became frustrated when they were told that no DMO could be contacted. “It was like a big circus with passing motorists slowing down their vehicles to view the body in the car and with no word from the authorities when the body would be removed,” said a greiving relative.

Santokhie, a father of two, died instantly when the green mini which he was driving skidded off the roadway and crashed into a light pole at the Churchill Roosevelt Highway in the vicinity of the WASA Waterworks. The fatal accident caused a massive traffic pile up. Aklima Santokhie, the wife of the deceased, arrived on the scene in pouring rain and cried openly after viewing the body of her husband in the car. The grieving woman was too distraught to say aything yesterday but she is contemplating seeking legal advice on the matter as she shares the sentiments of her daughter. The funeral for Santokhie will take place at his San Juan home on Saturday and cremation will be at the Shore Of Peace.