Relatives of a 50-year-old man who fell off a truck and died in Debe on Monday are questioning the circumstances of his death. Police said Seelal John, also known as Ninja, was in the back of a truck travelling along Ramai Trace around 6.30 pm when he fell off. He died on the road.
A motorist told police she saw something fall out of the truck and swerved to avoid driving over it. She only realised it was a man when she stopped to investigate. Relatives said John of Digity Village, Barrackpore, usually did odd jobs in the Debe area and they believe he was heading home.
His sister Suzie Harrilal, 54, said when she went to the scene, the truck was not there, but she saw her brother’s body on the ground.
“I love my brother. I am sad to know how he died. I am sorry for what happened.”
Harrilal recalled, “I asked who is the truck man. His grandparents are good people and they said that the driver did not know that he (my brother) was on the truck. I went up to them and asked them.”
She said her brother did not deserve such a death. “If he fell off the truck, they were supposed to stop. But they did not stop.”
Meanwhile, John’s other sister Leela Joseph, 63, was not convinced that the driver did not know that her brother was in the back of the truck.
“I would like the driver to come and visit me and visit the family and tell us exactly the truth. You cannot let somebody die like that. You have somebody behind your truck and you speeding or slow down or whatever ... (they) just skate out of your truck and fall?” Joseph described her brother as a hard-working and helpful person who never bothered anyone.
John was not married and had no children. The truck was impounded at the Barackpore Police Station pending further investigations.
The driver was not in custody up to late last evening.
