Brother of chutney singer killed by speeding GDF Officer

Roopchan ‘Charles’ Ramkellawan of Lot 4150 Tuschen Housing Scheme, East Bank Essequibo, the brother of popular Guyanese Chutney singer Mahendra Ramkellawan, was on Sunday evening struck down and killed by a speeding car on the De Willem Public Road, West Coast Demerara.

Based on information received, the late 35-year-old was attempting to cross the roadway when he was struck by motor car PWW 5680, being driven by a 28-year-old Gazetted Officer of the Joint Services, who allegedly was speeding at time of the accident.
Knocked unconscious, Roopchan Ramkellawan was rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Police have, however, stated that an unlicensed pistol with four matching rounds was found in the late Roopchan Ramkellawan’s possession.

A breathalyser test was conducted on the driver, who hails from South Ruimveldt, Georgetown, and it proved that he was over the legal limit of alcohol consumption. He was arrested and is assisting with investigations into this accident.
When Guyana Times contacted the Guyanese singer at his New York office, he explained that he had received the news of his brother’s demise at sometime after 23:00h on Sunday evening. He said that based on reports garnered, his brother had gone to visit his 6-month-old baby earlier in the day, and was heading home when he met his demise.
“Apparently, when he was heading home, the Police had a road block in front of the De Willem Public Road, and the Police stopped him. He pulled in the corner and exited the vehicle with the intention of talking to a Police rank. As he was crossing the road, this car appeared from nowhere and hit down Charles”, the singer explained.

He said he was told that the car was speeding and his brother would have sustained severe injuries, thus resulting in his instant demise. “Based on what I heard, the Police wanted money, and he was crossing the road to give them a raise when he was killed,” Mahendra Ramkellawan stated.
With respect to the unlicensed firearm and ammunition, the singer believes that the gun might have been planted on his brother. “That has to be a set up! Is a Joint Services man killed my brother… he got access to guns…is clearly a set up… How can they find a gun on my brother only when he reach the hospital… Matter of fact, he arrived at the hospital without any shirt; if he had a gun, as they claimed, they had to find it at the scene, and not at the hospital… Something ain’t adding up,” the elder Ramkellawan stated.
The Fire Fest Production boss is holding out that his brother had no cause to have a gun. “He works at sea and earns an honest dollar,” he contended.
Meanwhile, when contacted, the distraught wife of the late Roopchan Ramkellawan told Guyana Times that her husband had left home on Sunday after lunch to visit his daughter, and was killed on his way home.
The distraught wife said she received the news of the accident at about 23:00 on Sunday, and she rushed to the Leonora Cottage Hospital only to be told that her husband had died.
She told Guyana Times that her late husband’s cousin had witnessed the accident. He reportedly had remained in Ramkellawan’s car as the father of one had gone to speak with the Police.
Meantime, a post mortem performed on the body of the late Roopchan Ramkellawan proved that his death was due to multiple injuries that are consistence with a vehicular accident.