A 36-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound and cutlass injuries when six armed bandits entered her Lot 13 Gay Park Providence, Greater New Amsterdam home at around 7:30 pm yesterday; she is now a patient at the NA Hospital.
Reports are that the woman, Mohanie Latiff was cooking at the time when the men barged in and started lashing her about her back with the cutlass.
They then fired a shot but it is not clear what part of her body was hit.
Before that her 15-year-old son, Andy who was rocking his one-year-old sister in a hammock on the porch saw four of the bandits rushing into the yard with cutlasses. He said he immediately grabbed his sister and ran off the porch.
Speaking to this newspaper last evening, the traumatized lad said he did not realize another bandit had a gun until he started firing shots in his direction.
He nevertheless kept on running while ‘ducking’ from the bullets which missed him and his sister narrowly.
From his hiding place in the yard he heard the loud sounds of the cutlasses as the bandits were hitting his mother who was screaming hysterically. He related that he thought his mother was being badly chopped.
The bandits ransacked the entire house but the occupants were still not sure what was taken.
They then escaped on foot towards the canefield aback the village.
After the bandits left, neighbours who heard the gunshots and hid in their homes, terrified, ran to Latiff’s assistance and rushed her to the hospital. There were bloodstains all over the house and the half-cooked food was left on the stove.
Her brother, Ramchand Persaud who lives nearby said he heard the shots and screams coming from his sister’s house but he too was afraid to go and investigate. By the time he got to the scene the woman had already been taken to the hospital and there was no trace of the bandits. Reports are that the woman’s husband, Harold Latiff who works on a cargo ship was expected to arrive in the country today.
Meanwhile Commander of ‘B’ Division, George Vyphuis who visited the woman at the hospital last evening asked the relatives and neighbours who gathered to come forward with information if they have any. They expressed shock and anger over the robbery and attack on the woman.
They also told the commander the incident has left them terrified and made a request for the police to patrol the area frequently.