Within 24 hours, the Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) of the Central Criminal Investigation Department (CCID) arrested the first suspect. The suspect, Niraj N., 28 years old and living in the village of Camp Diable, is suspected of the murder of Balkrishna Luchumaya, 90 years old, in his store on Brabant Street in Port-Louis on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 25. This suspect, who is known to the police, has been placed in detention. This Thursday morning, April 27, he will be brought before the Port-Louis court.
It was after viewing images from surveillance cameras on Brabant Street and the surrounding area that the men of Inspector Rishi Jugoo of the MCIT were able to track down Niraj N. He was seen walking along Brabant Street with a flashlight shortly before the victim was killed. Witnesses confirmed the presence of this individual at this location.
The suspect was questioned after his arrest and denied any involvement in the death of the nonagenarian. He was placed in detention for the night and this Thursday, April 27, he is scheduled to be presented in court. His interrogation will continue thereafter.
Balkrishna Luchumaya was found unresponsive in his store at around 2pm on Wednesday 26 April by his wife Senmista Luchumaya, 80 years old. The latter had come with her cell phone so that her husband could talk to his sister on video call from England. The octogenarian stated that she called her sister-in-law at about 1:30 pm and talked to her for about 20 minutes. As her sister-in-law wanted to talk to her brother, she went to the store located in front of their house.
The autopsy performed on the victim’s body by Dr. Sudesh Kumar Gungadin, head of the police forensic department on Tuesday evening, April 25, attributed her death to asphyxiation due to compression of the neck. Balkrishna Luchumaya’s funeral was held on Wednesday, April 26.
