Hampton Court man who was dragged by funeral van remains on life support

Tulsie Maniram
Tulsie Maniram

Just over a week after being hit down by a funeral van along the Devonshire Castle Public Road, on the Essequibo Coast, Tulsie Maniram remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the Georgetown Public Hospital.

Litetia Maniram, the daughter of the injured man, yesterday told Stabroek News that her father is still on life support.

The woman said to date  four CT scans were conducted on him and another was expected to be done yesterday.

According to the daughter, the scans done so far have revealed that Tulsie suffered fractures above and below his left eye and doctors have said that the oxygen supply to his brain has been disrupted.

In addition to Tulsie’s head injuries, Litetia said his left leg was broken and he suffered a series of cuts and bruises.

Commander of Region Two Crystal Robinson had previously said that the police are awaiting a medical report from the hospital to determine the way forward as it relates to Bharat Joseph, the driver who allegedly caused the accident.

She also stated that Joseph, 59, of Lot 1 Zorg Market Road, Essequibo Coast, was released on station bail.

Litetia told this newspaper that the driver, who is also known as “Rasta,” has reached out to her family once via phone and he informed them that he was acquainted with Tulsie as in the past he had transported dead relatives for the family.

He also told them that since the accident, he has lost his job and has no money.

Tulsie, also known as ‘Bully,’ 56, of 290 Hampton Court, was struck and dragged by a speeding funeral van along the Devonshire Castle Public Road on October 12th.

At the time he was said to have been proceeding south along the eastern side of Devonshire Castle Public Road at a normal speed on motorcycle CJ 6341, while the van, GNN 5061was proceeding in the same direction some distance behind albeit at a fast pace.

The police said the driver lost control of the van and collided with the rear of the motorcycle, causing Tulsie to fall onto the roadway. He fell under the van and was dragged some distance along the roadway until the van toppled. It eventually came to a halt in a trench, located on the eastern side of the road, pinning Tulsie. 

He was taken to the Suddie Hospital, where he was treated for head injuries and abrasions about his body and later transported to the George-town Public Hospital, where he remains a patient.

His daughter said she has found it hard to travel daily from the Essequibo Coast to Georgetown in order to see her father. Besides the travel being an additional expense, she noted that she does not have anywhere to stay while in the city.