Freed murder accused still missing

Next month marks one year since gardener Manickchand Rajaram, who was freed of murdering a policeman, has gone missing and relatives fear that he may be dead.

“In September, he left to go in the forest to hunt in Tabaquite. That was the last time anyone saw him,” Rajaram’s sister, Lachmie Seebaran, said. “We are hearing all kinds of rumours but we want to know for sure what happened to him.”

Superintendent Hendron Moses had charged him with the May 12, 2011, murder of Constable Anil “Narie” Persad, 30.

In August last year, Senior Magistrate, Armina Deonarinesingh, presiding in the Rio Claro Magistrate’s Court upheld a no-case submission made by Rajaram’s attorney Ashton Dinanath.

Persad was shot in the forests of Cuche, Rio Claro, while on an exercise in a marijuana field. Persad of Village Street, San Pedro, Rio Claro, was airlifted out of the forest and taken to San Fernando General Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. Persad had nine years’ service and was last posted at the Rio Claro Police Station.

According to police reports, gunmen had opened fire at Persad and a contingent of officers from the Eastern Division Task Force during a drug-eradication exercise in the forest. Persad was struck while police returned fire, killing two suspects identified as Teeleckchand Arjoon, 46, and Jagdeo Seecharan, 47, at the scene.

Last year after Rajaram, 44, was released from prison, he went to stay at the home of relatives at Fyzabad. All searches and attempts to contact him have proven futile.

Relatives yesterday noted that rumours are circulating that Rajaram was killed in a forested area.