A Rose Hall, Corentyne businessman, who police had said was the target of a planned hit earlier in the year, is now hospitalised after he was shot in an attack by two men at his store yesterday afternoon.
Rajendra Prasad, called ‘Bobby,’ the owner of the ‘Bobby and Son Boutique’ at Arch Road, Rose Hall, Corentyne, appeared to be targeted by the men, who stole nothing from the business.
Prasad was shot once to the abdomen and a bullet also grazed his head. He was rushed to the Anamayah Memorial Hospital for treatment, before being transferred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he underwent surgery. A source at the hospital explained that doctors were not able to find any exit wound from the shot to he sustained to his abdomen and as a result surgery was immediately recommended.
The surgery was successful and the warhead was extracted from Prasad’s body and handed over to the police. Prasad was said to be stable up to press time.
Up to last night, the police were in hot pursuit of the two perpetrators, who escaped into the backlands.
According to information gathered by Sunday Stabroek, the two men – one unmasked but clad in a green dress and a wig and the other with a motorcycle helmet with the visor down – entered the store sometime after 3 pm yesterday afternoon.
An eyewitness, who asked not to be named, told this publication that Prasad was standing in the cashier’s cage when the men entered the store. The eyewitness said one of the perpetrators, who was armed with a “short gun,” placed it through the grill in an attempt to shoot Prasad.
After seeing this, Prasad grabbed the man’s hand. However, the perpetrator forcefully pulled the trigger and discharged three rounds, two of which hit the businessman.
Prasad’s wife and son were both present in the store at the time of attack.
A high ranking police official, when contacted last evening, told Sunday Stabroek that the police responded to a “robbery at Bobby store” but confirmed that the perpetrators did not steal anything.
Members of Prasad’s family as well as his staff were all present at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital yesterday afternoon. They were all hopeful of the businessman having a successful surgery.
In March this year, police successfully foiled what they believed was a plan to kill Prasad.
Then Commander of ‘B’ Division Ian Amsterdam had said that police became aware of the plot after they arrested the suspected hitman, an ex-convict who tried to dispose of a .38 revolver and four matching rounds after he realised that he had attracted the attention of a detective.
His arrest led to two other persons, who were reported to have been part of the planning of the “hit,” while a Jamaican national was identified as the architect of the plot.
Amsterdam had related that the ex-convict claimed that he was allegedly hired by the Jamaican national. “He revealed that they had a plan and they were supposed to go and execute it in Rose Hall, where a businessman was supposed to be executed and robbed,” he said. “I understand it was a plan that was initiated by a Jamaican, who it is alleged that the businessman did some business with and owed some sum of money and therefore the Jamaican had arranged a hit on the businessman,” he had said then.
The suspected hitman was the only person charged. He was charged with being in possession of a firearm and ammunition without being the holder of a licence.
At the time, Prasad said he was taking precaution after being alerted to the plot by police.
