CRIME REPORTER Nalinee Seelal, a veteran journalist and former Newsday crime editor has passed away. Fifty-three years old, she was.
Around one in the morning on Monday, Sydney Beepath, Seelal’s husband, informed them that she had passed away.
She had long-standing health issues and required dialysis.
In response to a query from Newsday on Monday, Beepath stated that he remembers his wife as a committed journalist who took her job and obligations very seriously.
How did Nalinee Seelal die?
On January 9, 2023, Nalinee Seelal, a renowned crime reporter who served as a seasoned journalist and former Newsday crime editor, passed away. Fifty-three years old was her age.
On Monday at around one in the morning, Seelal’s husband, Sydney Beepath, told the media of her demise. She had dialysis because she had been unwell for a time.
In response to Newsday’s inquiry on Monday, Beepath said he recalls his wife as a dedicated journalist who took her duties and responsibilities very seriously.
Nalinee Seelal cause of death
The community is inconsolable about Nalinee Seelal’s cause of death.
She received dialysis.
Nalinee has only been looked for by her husband, a former cinematographer at IE TV, ever since she fell ill.
Nalinee had been coping with several complex medical issues.
Sydney Beepath, Seelal’s husband, told Guardian Media that he got out of bed at 4:30 a.m. on January 9 of this year (2023) to use the restroom as usual. He asserted that he discovered Nalinee had stopped taking her vital signs when he went to check on her as usual.
Who was Nalinee Seelal?
Seelal joined Newsday in 1994, and in 1998, he won Journalist of the Year at the Royal Bank Media Awards.
She was one of the first reporters in T&T to have a cellphone—possibly the first—one of those large, clunky Motorola models with the pull-up antenna.
Her Experience
Therese Mills, Newsday’s then-editor-in-chief, called her twenty-four years ago and persuaded her to accept a senior crime writer position at the nation’s third daily publication.
She was working as the AVM evening news producer at the time. When she was advised to take on a new challenge in the newspaper business, she gave it some thinking before accepting the job, which completely changed the course of her life. Newsday hired her to focus on crime stories, but she secured the day’s top political account.
Under the heading “Guess Who Came to Dinner,” there was a report regarding Basdeo Panday, the leader of the UNC, and Ralph Maraj, a former PNM minister, holding private discussions.
The late Editor in Chief was happy with the tale, but he soon turned his attention to obtaining unique crime tales. The newspaper back then fared reasonably well since it covered crime, human interest topics, and general reporting quite well.
When she started working for Newsday, the office needed to be updated on Chacon Street with worn-out carpet and few resources. She even received a meagre salary, but what made the job enjoyable was Mrs Mills’ support. She showed interest in her staff, praising them when they did good work and reprimanding reporters and others when necessary.
As Crime Editor
Despite being a reporter and focusing on breaking exclusive stories for the newspaper, even after being elevated to crime editor twelve years ago, she never stopped.
There were very few training sessions for journalists, including herself, in the early years at Newsday, as they primarily focused on publishing the paper.
One of her most well-known pieces was an interview with drug kingpin Nankissoon Boodram, also known by his stage name Dole Chadee, which is one of the few extant interviews with him that is still accessible on YouTube.
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