A Hindu priest from Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne was beaten to death on Saturday night after he attempted to disperse a group of men who were drinking in front of his residence and were allegedly verbally abusing his daughters.
Dead is Rishi Bharrat also known as `Haribol’, 60, a joiner of Lot 10 Grant 1806 Crabwood Creek, Upper Corentyne. As of yesterday afternoon the police had arrested a total of eleven persons who were said to be in the group.
According to information gathered, several men were imbibing opposite the deceased’s premises and began to use indecent language and behave in a disorderly manner.
Terry Gobin, a close family friend, yesterday said that the group began to verbally abuse Bharrat’s young daughters causing him to scold the men through his window.
He said that Bharrat then phoned the Springlands Police Station but the police failed to show up at the scene. After the men continued their raucous behaviour, Bharrat ventured outside with a stick in an effort to try and disperse them. Bharrat and the men began to argue and the matter further escalated.
Gobin, who described Bharrat as his brother, yesterday said, “He (Bharrat) turn to walk come in back and then one a them knock he in his head hard and he fall down and all start beat he up.”
According to eyewitnesses, the suspects armed themselves with pieces of wood which were on the road and beat the man about his body.
His family then rushed to the man’s assistance and transported him to the Skeldon Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. According to the relatives, police arrived at the hospital sometime after.
Meanwhile, relatives yesterday said that the community is plagued by groups of men drinking at various corners and that they would often create issues in front of Bharrat’s residence.
Gobin said that numerous reports were made in the past “and the police does come and chase them but then they come back.”
He yesterday suggested that the village is in need of regular patrolling which they had requested several times in the past. He also stressed, “This family need justice, this is a good man, this family need justice… We are human beings and this is not right.”
Bharrat is the priest at a Hari Krishna Temple in his area. Yesterday was one of the most auspicious days on the temple’s calendar, Janmashtami. Bharrat leaves to mourn his wife, three daughters and one son.
Yesterday, the Guyana Police Force as well as the Guyana Hindu Dharmic Sabha and others expressed their sympathies to the family. The Dharmic Sabha called for the perpetrators to “face the full force of the law.”
Bharrat was described as an extremely kind and helpful person and was the sole breadwinner for his family.
