Homicide detectives could not answer this question yesterday, or determine why his legs were amputated and taken. So bad were his wounds that Maharaj’s face was unrecognisable. His body and head bore several chop and stab wounds, gashes and scratches. His legs were severed from the knees, and his left arm was almost severed. 

The killer/s left his national identification card and a bank card on his disfigured face.

Shortly after 2 pm yesterday, police went to a house on Quinam Road, Sennon Village, Siparia, after receiving information from an anonymous informant about a murder.

Inside the wooden and concrete house, located about 175 feet inside a track off the road, they found Maharaj’s mutilated body lying upwards on three mattresses.

He had no fixed place of abode, but over two months ago he began staying at the house with a male friend. Several residents expressed shock over the brutal killing, but they said he was not from the village and they declined to comment. In a telephone interview, his brother expressed shock over the brutal way he was killed. 

He said Maharaj had been using cocaine for 20 years, and about a year and a half ago, he left their hometown and was “moving from place to place.” 

He said, “It come like he homeless. He leave the village and he went Siparia and just smoking he drugs, getting he NIS and just smoking he drugs and living from place to place, sleeping in abandoned buildings.” He said he had no idea why his brother was murdered so savagely. 

So disfigured was his brother’s face that he could only identify him by his beard and chin. 

He said, “I make him out by piece of his chin because his whole face mash-up, eyes buss up, nose everything flattened down. He had several chops on his head too.”

He said his brother once worked as a heavy equipment operator, but he began smoking marijuana and then moved on to cocaine. 

Palo Seco councillor Anton George said residents were shocked by the level of brutality and asked if he could assist by getting regular patrols in the neighbourhood.

He added, “I am saddened that this level of brutality can exist amongst us. I am really disappointed that individuals don’t see the value of a human life, and I do pray and hope that the protective services do all that they can to apprehend those responsible for this act.” 

George recalled being in the community a few days ago, meeting with residents, and “everything was nice and peaceful.”

Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region 3 officers are investigating.