The Guyana Police Force (GPF) issued a public appeal last evening for assistance in the investigation of the murder of school teacher Luciana Bhagwandin, whose body was found on a dam in Harlem, West Coast Demerara on January 10.

According to the GPF, it is seeking information on a recent boyfriend of the young trainee teacher who it is believed can provide vital information in relation to her murder.  “The boyfriend is of East Indian descent, about 35 years of age, brown complexion and grows a beard.

He gave his name to the deceased as Jerry Jhagroo and drives a black car,” the release said. “This boyfriend has a male friend whose name was given as Mark and who owns a blue Toyota 212 Carina motor car, in which the deceased was last seen,” the release continued.

The police appealed for information on ‘Mark’ and his car.

The force asks for any information to be provided through phone numbers 225-6411, 226-1326, 225-2227, 268-2298, 911 or the nearest police station. It stressed that all information will be treated with strict confidence.

Bhagwandin, who is originally from Essequibo, was staying with a relative in Turkeyen.

She left the home on the afternoon of January 9 to visit a supermarket in the area when she was reportedly pulled into a car by someone. A cousin was with her at the time and as a result a report was promptly made to the Turkeyen Police Outpost.

The young woman’s mother, who said she had only separated from her husband a month before she was brutally killed, had criticised the police at the outpost for telling the relative that she had to return in 48 hours to report the young woman missing. The mother had said her daughter at that time was not missing but was in fact kidnapped.

The woman had also said that her daughter had told her that she was threatened by a man who wanted to have a relationship with her.