Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
Essequibo lad threatens suicide after encounter with police
The scene outside of the Anna Regina Public Road, Friday evening, was confusing after a young man attempted to end his life by climbing an electrical pole with a rope around his neck.
Travis Persaud, the victim, claimed he was afraid of the police, who he said had earlier beaten him. The 18- year-old told this newspaper in the presence of his friends, most of whom are mature women, that Friday evening, he left his Anna Regina Home for a friend in the same village.
While at the friend, he recalled that both he and that individual imbibed half a bottle of brandy. After the visit, the young man said that his friend was insistent that they venture to another bar to have some beers.
Travis Persaud
According to Persaud, he was not too keen about going to the bar that his friend had in mind. He said that he was however able to persuade his friend to go to another bar, where he said they consumed a few beers.
Persaud recalled while he was heading for his home at Anna Regina, a man accused him of stealing his gold, a charge he denied. A mobile police patrol approached him and the ranks threw him into the open back vehicle.
The young man, who was still with blood stained clothing, Friday evening, and was also suffering from pains in his head, shoulder and abdomen, said that the police later stripped him naked, closed the station gate and left him in the compound despite his protests.
Later, as the crowd on the road grew, one eyewitness told this newspaper that the police appeared silent and had already washed away the blood that was oozing profusely from the injured teenager.
Members of the public, both on foot and those using other forms of transportation, stopped and took pictures of the frustrated teenager who was already on the pole with a rope around his neck, daring the police to end his life right there.
The eyewitness related, “I literally begged Travis not to end his life and to come down from the pole with a promise that I would lobby for justice for him.”
The injured teen recalled that he climbed down from the pole after believing the pleas of his friend, who he would frequently visit on a day to day basis.
He said that he was finally transported to the Suddie Public Hospital, although some taxi drivers were not too inclined to transport the injured teen because of his bloody condition.
The 18-year-old later received three stitches for the cut he sustained to his head.
When Kaieteur News contacted the police for a comment on the issue, a police officer refuted the teenager’s story, and said that the teenager went to the station with an allegation that someone had burst his head.
When asked to explain why the teenager had to seek his own transportation to seek medical attention, the officer said, “After he told us someone had beaten him we gave him a report to seek medical attention.”
The officer also claimed that the young man had stripped himself of his clothing and was boldly showing off his penis to the women who had queued up on the road.
The police officer continued that the young man then escaped the compound of the police station by scaling the fence. Once outside he attempted to commit suicide, by climbing the utility pole with a rope around his neck.
Another woman who was at the scene last evening was angry. “If indeed this young man had committed an offence what right did the police have to beat and later strip him, then lock the police gate and throw him outside on the road?’
The woman said that a taxi owner had to rescue the young lad with clothes and take him to the Hospital.
According to the woman, the fire service and workers of GPL had to also be summoned at the scene.
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