Sixty-one-year-old Ghuntaj Bhasmat was allegedly shot and killed on Monday and it is believed that the act was carried out by bandits who robbed a Chinese restaurant in the lower flat of his building days before.
During an interview with the News Room on Tuesday, Bhasmat’s son, Punraj Lakeram said his father was alerted by a loud sound at their Adventure, Essequibo Coast house early Monday morning.
Upon checking, Lakeram said his father was approached by a bandit who was making his way into his house through a window.
The bandit opened fire, fatally wounding Bhasmat.
“After he (Bhasmat) hear a loud noise, he get up from he bed and gone where the washroom deh and right deh the man dem (bandits) been ah try fah come in through the window.
“After he walk in deh, ah right deh he get shoot,” Lakeram said.
Lakeram lives a stone’s throw away from his father’s residence.
Bhasmat lived in the top flat of the house with his wife and daughter. The bottom flat of the building was rented by a Chinese national, who operates a restaurant there.
That was the restaurant, Lakeram said, which was robbed days before Bhasmat was shot.
Police Headquarters reported that that Bhasmat’s wife, Durpattie Ragobar told investigators that they were awakened by a noise outside their room.
Ragobar reportedly stayed in bed while Bhasmat went into the hallway.
The woman recalled hearing about four gunshots and someone shouting “thief.”
The woman then went outside to the bathroom area, where she saw her husband lying in a pool of blood with what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his chest.
Bhasmat was rushed to the Suddie Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Lakeram told the News Room that the incident has left his family terrified.
“We deh frighten like. Remember them man (bandit) come back again and them come with gun and them thing.
“We glad fah get justice because it hard. Me and me father does wuk hard,” Lakeram said.
