Agarbatti seller and family terrorised by bandits

A Berbice agarbatti seller and his family were Thursday terrorised by bandits carrying guns and cutlasses who attacked them at sunrise as the mother was at her altar worshipping and the father was heading to the temple.

Their teen daughter was choked out of her sleep.

Speaking with the New Room, the Letter Kenny, Corentyne, Berbice mother Praveeni Persaud said she was in the family altar about to do an “offering” during her morning worship when she heard her daughter screaming “Mommy! Mommy! Come nah!”

The woman rushed into her daughter’s bedroom, only to see her being strangled by a masked man, while another was standing next to her with a cutlass. Her husband, a few metres away, was lying on the bed while two men held cutlasses over his head.

The four men were making demands for cash and jewellery.

“They began cursing and shouting if I don’t give up the rest of the money and jewellery that this is not joke and they will take my daughter life.”

As the demands continued, Persaud was gun-butted to her head thrice and choked. She said at that moment she was scared but still found the strength and courage to scream for her neighbours to call the Police.

Persaud said she handed over all the jewellery she had along with the cash as she begged the men not to hurt her family.

Her husband, Bishoondat Dindyal Rampersaud, said he was preparing to leave for the temple at 05:30 hrs. As he opened the door to leave, he was confronted by four men armed with guns and cutlasses. Another bandit was keeping guard on the street.

One of them told him this “this is serious business” and he should hand over the money.

Rampersaud, who walks and sells incense (agarbatti) for a living, said he didn’t hesitate as he handed over $60,000 cash, thinking they would have left but the men continued their demands while turning their attention to his 14-year-old daughter who was asleep.

“They went into the bedroom and began choking my daughter; she woke up gasping for breath. So they start asking she for the money and gold.

His daughter pointed to her phone and told them to take it.

The Police were called to the scene and have since launched an investigation.

In total, the bandits took the family’s G$60,000 and US$150 in cash along with a quantity of jewellery and a flat-screen TV.