Sarwan Darshan, the man accused of setting two women on fire at Huis t’Dieren, Essequibo Coast, on Tuesday, has been charged with their murders.
Darshan, 24, was charged with the murders of Omrowtie Chammawatti, 74, and her daughter, Caustury Chammawatti-Persaud, 54, who are the grandmother and mother, respectively, of his common-law wife, Devika Persaud.
It is alleged that the labourer, who shared a home with the women at Lot 75 Public Road, Huis t’Dieren, threw a lit kerosene stove at them during a row, resulting in them being set on fire.
He was not required to plead to the charges when they were read against him by Magistrate Sunil Scarce at the Suddie Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
Bail was refused and Darshan was remanded to prison until August 13th.
A relative of the women, who did not want to be named, told Stabroek News that they were home when Sarwan, who was drunk, returned. He and Persaud, who was frying potatoes at the time using the kerosene stove, are reported to have started arguing.
The relative said they kept arguing until he left but he returned and they resumed their argument. The relative said the man eventually picked up the lit stove and threw it on Chammawatti and Chammawatti-Persaud, who had been seated on a bed.
“I hear that Reshmie [Chammawatti-Persaud] tell he something about Devika and like he get vex and just throw the stove pun them. Devika start hollering and she run and get help,” the relative said.
After the flames were extinguished, the women were rushed to the Suddie Public Hospital, where they were immediately tended to by doctors and later admitted.
Chammawatti-Persaud later died at the hospital, while her mother died the day after at Georgetown Public Hospital, where she had been transferred.
Darshan was later apprehended by the police and was taken into custody.
