Two slashed to death, others injured in late-night domestic dispute

Feb 02, 2021 News

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– suspect arrested, murder weapon recovered

By Malisa Playter-Harry

Kaieteur News – Two brothers were killed Sunday night, and their mother and another relative were injured, during a domestic dispute at No. 43 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.
Dead are Surendra Raghunandan called “Ranga”, 25, and his brother Mahendra Ramotar called “Sunny”, 23.
Hospitalised with serious injuries is their mother Sukmattie Richmond, 40, while a fourth person Anthony Persaud, a construction worker, was treated and sent away for an injury to his hand. The stepfather of the dead men, Randolph Richmond, also sustained a minor cut to his forehead. Police have since arrested the suspect, Vernand Ravi Ragadoo, 49, the brother of Randolph Richmond, and a knife, suspected to be the murder weapon, has since been recovered.
When Kaieteur News arrived at the scene yesterday morning, police were on the scene interviewing residents and eyewitnesses to the deadly incident. There was a considerable amount of blood splattered on a section of the public road located just a few feet away from the house of the victims and the suspect. According to police, housewife, Mellissa Rampersaud, 22, of No. 43 Public Road, disclosed to them that the suspect was imbibing at his sister’s house (opposite the deceased’s home) in celebration of a marriage.

Rampersaud told the police that Randolph Richmond and Sukmattie Richmond were “having a heated argument” and the suspect (brother of Richmond) became annoyed and armed himself with a knife, exited the yard and confronted the now-deceased men who were said to be standing on the public road. She said the suspect dealt Surendra and Mahendra several stabs about their bodies and went away. At some point, Sukmattie Richmond and Persaud were injured. The brothers were rushed to the hospital but were pronounced dead on arrival.Meanwhile, aunt of the dead men, Hemwattie Ramotar, revealed that she received the dreadful news yesterday morning at around 06:00hrs and based on the information she was given, the step-father of the brothers and her sister had a heated argument and the eldest brother (Surendra) intervened but his step-father called on the suspect who lived in the second lot to assist in the dispute.

“I was told that he and he wife had some problem and the big one pick up for his mother and he and the stepfather had it out and the stepfather call for the brother (suspect) and the brother run out and deal with them. The other brother (Mahendra) was on the road coming and when he (the suspect) run over back in his yard, he run to the next brother and stab he,” she informed. The fight appeared to have taken place in the victims’ yard where several pieces of broken window glass were seen scattered.
The sister, who could not control her tears, explained that when she spoke to her brother-in-law, he told her that they had a “little problem” and that one of the deceased men “go to stab their mother and he tried to part and the boy end up slashing he mother on she breast.” She added that the explanations of what took place do not add up.
“He na get no kinda injuries but I ask why the brother kill her two sons and try to kill my sister and nothing na wrong with he and he said me trying to pick fight. This doesn’t make sense to me, something wrong. He and he pickney (two smaller children who he shared with Sukmattie) na get no injury, it was a plan wa happen. He and he wife always get a problem. Dem boys does come and talk to me when dem get a problem, she does always call me. They does put out dem boys. Sunny come out from ‘bush’ in December and didn’t want to go back,” the grieving sister said.

Meanwhile, Surendra Raghunandan was described by his employer, Lekka Rambridge (a rice producer), as a hard-working individual. He stated that he had been working with him for the past seven years and worked his way up from labourer to an operator in the drying and steaming facility.
“I know him way before the seven years but since I employed him, he was such a very good person and he was a very dedicated worker,” Rambridge said. The businessman also stated that there is a need for the relevant Ministry to intervene and engage with people of the No. 43 community.
“This village is too much rum drinking, too much smoking of different types of herbs. There is no young man that comes out of school with subjects you can find. The Ministry needs to work with people,” he said.
Police sources have since revealed that the suspect was arrested in his home while watching television on the very night of the incident. An investigation is ongoing.

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