A Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara businessman is now undergoing surgery to remove a bullet from his shoulder after being shot by one of five thieves during a foiled robbery attempt at his shop earlier today.
Pritipa Dhanpaul, 54 years, owner of the P. Dhanpaul Son and Daughter Variety Store on the Pouderoyen Public Road, was shot in his right shoulder during a scuffle with gunmen.
He is currently a patient at a private city hospital where shortly after 2 pm today doctors rushed him to the operating theatre to remove the slug. A close family member, who asked not to be named, told Stabroek News from the hospital that five men attempted to rob Dhanpaul sometime after 11am today.
The friend of the family said that his brother recalled being in the shop when the five men came in, pretending to be sheltering from the rain and inquired about an item. When Dhanpaul went near the grilled counter to hand over the purchased items the thieves reached through the grill work with one placing a gun to Dhanpaul’s head. The armed robbers then demanded that the shop be opened and they be granted access on the other side of the grillwork.
Prior to being shot the proprietor began scuffling with the thieves through the grill and even managed to injure one with a knife. It was then that he was shot in his right shoulder and as he fell to the ground the men made good their escape.
The variety store owner’s family on hearing the sound of the bullet rushed downstairs and the man was taken to the West Demerara Regional Hospital. However after learning that he had to undergo surgery his family took him to a private hospital. Doctors have listed him as stable and when this newspaper was there he spoke with a family member before being taken into surgery.
