By Cecily Asson Sunday, October 21 2012

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GRIEVING SISTER: Lillowti Ram, sister of Gewan Roopchand who was crushed to death by a trailer truck on Thursday, at her Chase Village, Chaguanas home...

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Several years ago, Gewan “Hardest” Roopchand, 54, cheated death when the backhoe he was operating overturned in a deep river. He crawled out without a scratch, relatives told Sunday Newsday yesterday, and became known in his village as “Hardest”.

On Thursday, however, Roopchand, of Southern Main Road, Chase Village, Chaguanas, was not so lucky. He was crushed to death outside his home under the wheels of a 40-foot long trailer whose driver, according to police, had stopped at a nearby eating place to make a purchase.

Roopchand was dragged about 300 feet before the truck driver realised what had happened. He was, however, told he had been dragging Roopchand under his trailer by a passerby.

An autopsy performed by pathologist, Dr Valery Alexandrov, at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Friday, revealed Roopchand died as a result of multiple blunt force traumatic injuries.

Police said at about 7 pm on Thursday, the driver stopped the trailer truck, which was carrying a container, near Roopchand’s home to purchase a meal when tragedy struck. The victim’s sister Lillowti Ram, 64, told Sunday Newsday when she received the news she rushed outside only to discover one side of her brother’s slipper and his cap on the roadside.

She said, “There was also blood on the road but he was nowhere to be seen. The trailer dragged his body quite down the road.”

Ram said she made her way down the road to see her brother’s body covered with a white sheet.

“When they lifted it, it was not a nice sight. His entire lower body was crushed.”

Roopchand was unmarried and had no children. Only last week he had a plaster cast removed from his left foot, which was fractured when he slipped and fell in front his house. The truck has since been impounded. Freeport police are continuing investigations.