Soldier killed in accident

A SOLDIER based at Camp Cumuto was killed in an early-morning accident yesterday.

Rajesh Sookdeo died at 4.30 am on the southbound lane of the Solomon Hochoy Highway near Seereeram Brothers Contractors. Reports indicate Sookdeo, 30, may have lost control of his car and crashed into an electricity pole.

At his George Street, Esperanza Village home yesterday, Sookdeo’s sister Indira said she last spoke to him on Wednesday night.

“I called him around 11 pm and asked him where he was. He was accustomed going out but he never stayed out before – he don’t sleep out nowhere, and I was worried about it being so late and he wasn’t home,” Indira said. “I think he probably was liming throughout the night. The only place he would go to lime is California, by one of our friends.”

Indira said August would mark five years since her brother joined the regiment, but could not say what rank he held.

She said he was supposed to report for duty yesterday morning but did not know whether he was on his way to work.

“Usually he would have his uniform in the car if he is going to work. I don’t think he had anything with him, so we don’t know where he was going.”

Neither his family nor his girlfriend, Sasha Sankar, knows where he was until 4 am.

Sankar, who was at the family’s home yesterday, said she last spoke to Sookdeo around 10.41pm. She said she had been in a relationship with Sookdeo for the past six months.

“He said he was going to check a friend and then go home, I don’t know where he went after,” Sankar said.

She was awakened by a call from police around 4.30 am.

“They told me he had gotten into an accident and asked me to call the family. I gave them Indira’s number and asked to talk to him, but they said no. I didn’t know he had died until I saw it on Facebook.”

Both women described Sookdeo as fun-loving and always smiling. An autopsy was expected to be done at the Forensic Science Centre yesterday afternoon.