Trinidad and Tobago: Teen Kavish Veda Persad dies in accident, Rescuers Robbed

Trinidad and Tobago: A tragic incident unfolded on late Monday night which claimed the life of Pt. Kavish Veda Persad, a 19-year-old student of San Juan, Trinidad and Tobago. Persad was a young scholar widely celebrated for his incredible achievements and knowledge.  

According to initial police reports, around 10:00 pm, Persad was driving a white Hyundai Ioniq when he attempted to overtake another vehicle but collided with it. His car struck the Beetham Water Main, went airborne, and crash-landed in Laventille River.  

Amid efforts to assist at the crash site, a passerby who tried to extend help and was reportedly beaten and robbed by a group of men. The victim was stripped of $10,000 in cash, a bank card and identification documents, raising alarm about violence in the area.  

Strong Academic Background  

The news of Persad’s death has sent shockwaves through his family and the wider communities, as the young pundit was celebrated for his academic and spiritual promise. On Tuesday, his father Pundit Maniedeo Persad paid a tribute in a heartfelt social media post in which he congratulated his son for his recent Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) results.  

Kavish had earned five Grade I passes and one Grade II in his upper six exams, completed in June 2025. His track record of excellence was long established;  

• In 2023, he secured a Grade I passes in all eight CSEC subjects.  
• In 2019, he was recognised by the Ministry of Education as one of Trinidad and Tobago’s Top 200 students in the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) Examination.  

Persad was also the grandson of the late Shankaracharya Pundit Hari Prasad and Mrs. Chandrawti Prasad, co-founders of SWAHA International, a major Hindu religious and cultural institution. 

Community members following his death have been expressing their shock and greif, Dexter G Ragoonanan, a local called out on all the citizens of T&T to stay precautious while driving, “Citizens of T&T please let us rethink how we drive on the nations roads. Your Life is precious and that of other road users, therefore it is absolutely foolish to be taking unnecessary risks. Let's take it down, calm down.” 

Authorities are continuing investigations into both the fatal collision and the robbery, appealing for eyewitnesses to come forward. 

Stay tuned with Associates Times as more details emerge on this story.