A 32-year-old hospital lab technician who died on Saturday after he was hit by a car as he walked to work had just returned from India, where he had become engaged to be married.
Colleagues said Nikhil Rajput, who suffered serious injuries as he walked to Health City in the East End, had just returned from his homeland the week before.
Dr. Shravana Jyoti, who works for the Health Services Authority, said he knew Rajput through his job at Health City.
“This poor family have raised this young man for more than 30 years and he got engaged in India last week,” he said.
“He was supposed to get married. Now his family have to deal with this loss.”
Jyoti said, “He was a very nice, quiet, hard-working guy. I knew him professionally because I am a pathologist and he worked in the Health City laboratory.
“It’s a shocking thing to happen – they are really upset about this at Health City.”
A spokesman for an Indian community organisation said Rajput had worked in Cayman for three years.
He added, “He was quiet, friendly and a very responsible person.”
Rajput was hit by a Suzuki Swift as he walked on Sea View Road near Health City at about 7:20pm on Friday.
He was rushed by ambulance to Cayman Islands Hospital, but died on Saturday morning.
The driver of the car, who was interviewed at Bodden Town Police Station, was arrested on suspicion of drink-driving and remains in custody.
A spokesman for the East End hospital said Rajput, originally from the Jammu and Kashmir region of north India, confirmed his family in India had been told of the tragedy.
He added Health City had offered Rajput’s family “support during this difficult time”.
Police appealed for witnesses as the investigation continues.
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