Latest update December 5th, 2024 1:40 AM
Rice farmer recounts brutal murder of sibling in Mahaica land dispute…as father, son go on trial
KILLED: Suresh Nandkishore
Rice farmer, Parmanand Nandkishore yesterday detailed a harrowing story of how he survived a cutlass attack on his family over a land dispute, which left his brother Suresh Nandkishore, an accountant, dead, and his father with permanent disabilities.
Parmanand was at the time testifying in the trial of 54-year-old Sukhdeo Dharamdat and his son, 25-year-old Eshwardat Dharamdat, who are jointly charged with the February 3, 2015 murder of Suresh Nandkishore, which occurred at Handsome Tree Creek, Mahaica, East Coast Demerara.
According to reports, Suresh Nandkishore, his father Bhopaul Nandkishore, 52, and brother Parmanand, were in the process of erecting a fence on a plot of land when a heated argument erupted between them and the other family, and led to a fight.
It was reported that the older Dharamdat, with whom the Nandkishores had a land dispute, came as they were working and appeared to have no objection. But the 51-year-old reportedly returned with his two sons, one of whom was armed with a cutlass.
The men reportedly picked up two of the posts that were meant for the fence and began lashing the Nandkishores about their bodies. Suresh Nandkishore reportedly tried to walk away, but was cornered and dealt several lashes to his head, blows that cracked open his skull.
During his time in the witness box, Parmanand Nandkishore told the court that the land was owned by his great grandfather, and was later passed down to his father. He said that land for which his family has a lease was the subject of a dispute between the two families, which was settled in court, with his father winning rights to the land.
According to him, it was about 75 acres of land which his family used to plant rice, cash crops and rear cattle. Recounting what transpired on February 3, 2015, Parmanand Nandkishore told the jury that his father had asked him and his brother (Suresh) to follow him to make repairs to a fence on the land.
The relatively calm witness said that they left by boat and arrived some 30 minutes after and offloaded posts to begin works. He added that sometime after, Sukhdeo Dharamdat arrived and asked his father what they were doing, and he responded by saying that were erecting a fence.
He further said that Sukdeo Dharamdat left and returned with his two sons, Chaitram and Eshwardat, who he said, was armed with a cutlass. Parmanand said, “…They (the Dharamdats) started to argue with my father who told us to let us leave.”
The witness said that as he and his family were walking away, Eshwardat attacked his brother with one of the posts meant to build the fence. He stated that his brother was struck several times to the head, which resulted in his skull being cracked open with blood gushing. The post, he said, was left stuck in his brother’s head.
Parmanand recounted that Chaitram lashed him with a cutlass and then struck him on his head with a post causing him to fall to the ground where he lay and “played dead.” According to him, the attack has left his father with brain damage, which causes him to suffer from constant seizures.
Chaitram was jointly charged along with his father and brother for Suresh Nandkishore’s murder, but he later died while in jail.
This trial is being heard before Justice Navindra Singh and a 12-member jury at the High Court in Georgetown. Attorneys-at-law Brandon De Santos, Pamela De Santos and Alana Lall are representing the two murder accused. The trial continues this morning.
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