Businessman in police custody after fatal shooting of alleged thief

A 52-year-old businessman, identified as Pooran Singh, also known as Navin, was taken into custody after fatally shooting a man he claimed was attempting to steal from his property early on Sunday, December 1.

The incident occurred around 02:30 hrs shortly before Singh visited the Vigilance Police Station to report that he had discharged his licensed 9mm pistol after spotting a man removing Heineken beers from his premises.

According to Singh’s account, he witnessed the theft unfolding on his property and reacted by firing his weapon.

The man collapsed and was found motionless.

Emergency medical technicians (EMT) arrived at the scene and pronounced the individual dead, before transporting the body to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) for further examination. The identity and address of the deceased remain unknown.

Following the shooting, Singh was arrested, and his firearm was seized by police. He remains in custody as investigations into the incident continue. The matter is still under review, and legal advice is awaited.

The businessman’s premises is equipped with several CCTV cameras, but police have not yet confirmed whether footage of the incident has been recovered.

Furthermore, the authorities did not clarify whether the shooting took place inside or outside Singh’s yard.

Crucial details were not made available to the public until Wednesday, December 4 —four days after the incident and after several questions were raised by the press and on social media.

The information provided to the media came directly from Senior Superintendent Ewart Wray, the Regional Commander.

This incident has sparked widespread public interest and debate, with many calling for clarity on the use of force in cases of alleged theft, especially when it results in a fatality. The authorities are urging the public to remain patient as they work to ascertain the full facts of the case.