Notorious bandit ‘Popcorn’ killed in late-night Police operation
- accomplice reportedly eludes police TWENTY-year-old Deodat Seecharran, alias ‘Popcorn’, met his demise in an exchange of gunfire with police ranks aback Betsy Ground Village in the community of East Canje, Berbice just before midnight on Sunday.
‘KILLED’: Deodat Seecharran, alias ‘Popcorn’
‘Popcorn’ and his accomplice, 22-year-old Zaheir Abdul, called Imran, of New Scheme, Adelphi, East Canje Berbice, had returned to the Betsy Ground mandir to retrieve three cellular phones which they had left charging there; but the police, in an earlier visit to the place of religious worship, made in response to residents’ complaints that persons were acting suspiciously in close proximity to the mandir, had removed the phones and had left the premises, but returned minutes later on foot.
It was during this second visit to the mandir that the police had spotted two persons riding towards them. When the police shone a spotlight on the riders, the men dropped their bicycles and fled on foot, with the police in hot pursuit.
Residents recalled hearing shots being fired as the Rose Hall sugar estate blew its horn to signal 23:30 hrs.
Robbery victim Dilip Narine recalled being awoken from sleep by footsteps on the zinc shed adjoining his two-flat house. “I was scared, as bandits came into my home on January 8, 2011,” he said. “Dem gaffa bruk ah door; me nah come out fah nothing,” he blushingly admitted resolving.
Pointing to the scars on his foot and arm following a brazen cutlass attack, the pensioner had this to say after learning of the death of the infamous Popcorn: “Me can breathe a bit again.” He is, however, anxious that the police did not capture Popcorn’s accomplice, known as Imran or ‘the cutlass man’.
Having heard the footsteps on his zinc shed, Dilip Narine said he was relieved when the police arrived and warned him to stay inside as they searched his yard. They, however, came up empty-handed; but shortly afterwards, he heard an exchange of gunfire, and was subsequently told that ‘Popcorn’ had been fatally wounded. Another resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said ‘Popcorn’ had been shot in the eye, with the bullet exiting the back of his head and taking away portions of his brain.
On Monday morning, scores of residents gathered at the scene of the bloodshed, where an Afro comb, a mathematical compass with pencil, and an empty packet of Pall Mall cigarettes were found.
Police said they recovered clothing; tools, including a pair of pliers and a screwdriver; another cell phone, and 10 rounds of live .32 ammunition from a haversack worn by Seecharran. However, no weapon was recovered at the scene.
Meanwhile, 50-year-old Ramrattie Singh of First Street, Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice, along with David Nazir, identified the corpse of Seecharran as that belonging to her son. The body is currently awaiting a post-mortem examination to be performed at the New Amsterdam Hospital.
‘Popcorn’ had been fingered in several robbery attacks. He was currently wanted for the shooting death of Patricia Samaroo of Number Two Village, East Canje Berbice. The woman was at her sister Anetta’s home at Courtland Village, Corentyne when she was shot in the head. She died without receiving medical treatment.
Anetta, who was shot in her abdomen, remains a patient at the New Amsterdam Hospital. Police are investigating this shooting incident. By Jeune Bailey Vankeric
