Abusive husband shot dead by police

May 27, 2022 News

By Shervin Belgrave

Kaieteur News – The police force’s Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) is currently investigating the death of an “abusive husband” who was on Tuesday shot dead by a police rank attached to the Ruimveldt Police Station.

Police ranks at the area where the body of Deanraj Singh was found. (Photo Credit: Royston Drakes)

The dead man identified as 30-year-old Deanraj Singh, also known as “Steve Singh”, was shot around 20:00hrs Tuesday in the Riverview, Ruimveldt area. His body was found around 06:45hrs on Wednesday lying on a mudflat in the Demerara River by a fisherman.
According to a police report, Singh’s reputed wife had called the Ruimveldt Police Station on Tuesday evening and reported that he had gone to her Riverview home and beaten her. It was revealed that police ranks along with a neighbourhood police rank were sent to respond to the report and found Singh drinking with some friends at a house.
When Singh saw them, he reportedly ran into the house, jumped through a window and sprinted towards the Demerara River. The ranks along with the man’s reputed wife reportedly followed.
One of the ranks claimed that he heard sounds coming from some bushes beside the river bank and when he pointed his flashlight in that direction he saw Singh with an object looking like a gun in his hand.

Dead: Deanraj Singh, also known as “Steve Singh”

The rank said he then heard a loud explosion and reacted by pulling out his .38 revolver and shooting twice in Singh’s direction. Singh, according to the rank, jumped and ran into the Demerara River. The ranks made checks for him soon after but he was not seen again.
The following morning, when a fisherman went into the river to repair his boat, he stumbled upon Singh’s lifeless body.
Crime scene experts who visited the scene said that they observed a gunshot wound to Singh’s abdomen. Investigators found no firearm on Singh and had even made checks to see if he might have dropped it close by but did not find it.
Investigators, this publication has learnt, swabbed both Singh’s and the officer’s hands for gunpowder residue.
The investigation that has been launched by the OPR is to determine if the police rank had in fact shot an unarmed man.
Singh’s reputed wife told police that she had ended her relationship with him three years ago but he would still visit and abuse her regularly. This was despite her having a restraining order against him.
Police in a report noted that Singh was no stranger to the law. He was previously charged with breaking and entering, larceny, assault and other offences. At the time of his death, there were arrest warrants out for Singh along with several other pending criminal charges.