As investigations intensify into the attempted murder of a 29-year-old Corentyne Berbice woman, her parents have come forward with shocking details about years of abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband.
Ganesh Sewcharran, a taxi driver, reportedly set his wife on fire during an argument at their Corentyne, Berbice house in the wee hours of Monday last.
Reports indicate that late Sunday night, the man and his wife were engaged in an argument during which she threw kerosene on her body. It is further alleged that Sewcharran took the lighter from his wife and lit the bottom of her dress.
The woman reacted by rolling on the ground, effectively extinguishing the fire. By that time, however, she received burns all over her body. She is currently battling for her life in the Intensive Care Unit of the New Amsterdam Hospital. Doctors have since informed the family that her chances of survival are low since 98% of her body suffered severe burns.
Even so, Sewcharran was never arrested by the police, and so, he used the opportunity to book a flight to the United States of America and managed to board an American Airlines at 17:26 hrs on Tuesday, September 14.
Relatives alerted the police to the escape bid and the authorities in the US were contacted; Crime Chief Wendell Blannum in a statement said that once Sewcharran landed in the U.S, he was denied entry and sent back on a flight to Guyana. That flight arrived at 06:54 hrs on Wednesday. Once he arrived in Guyana, he was arrested and placed in custody.
Her parents told the News Room that the couple has been married for six years and share a five-year-old daughter. However, the parents noted that during those years, the relationship was bombarded with disagreements and abuse at the hands of Sewcharran.
The mother said that her daughter ended the relationship on multiple occasions and even moved out of the house but the husband was persistent and even stalked her at work.
“She does work [name of place] and he does drive hire car and he does go and wait for she…He does go and pick she up without permission; when dem fight and so she does go in he car and she does come way with he tuh and then she does come and pick up all her stuff and gone,” the mother said.
The parents said the young woman would show up at their house with bruises on her body but she never spoke about it even when they asked her.
“Sometimes me does see black and blue marks on she hand and she does say how she walk and hit herself so she never talk that he hit she. We tell she already, over and over to leave but she does go back.”
The woman said over the past few weeks her daughter was communicating less with them and kept to herself at home.
“He was controlling her,” the mother said as she fought back tears.
