(Trinidad Guardian) A 77-year-old man is dead after he was trapped in a fire started by bandits who robbed his family before setting his Chaguanas home ablaze yesterday.
Fire officers said Ramdeo Mahadeo Ragoo died after becoming trapped in his Bridel Road, Jerningham Junction Road, Endeavour home around 11 am.
Speaking to Guardian Media yesterday, Nalinee Samaroo, the daughter of the deceased, claimed the family is involved in a dispute and yesterday’s attack was the third on the family. She said an attempt was made to torch the house in 2018 and again on Monday. She said around 2 am on Monday, some men started throwing Molotov Cocktails at the house and a fire started but it was later extinguished by her husband Mahase Samaroo.
Samaroo said she obtained video footage from a neighbour as evidence in Monday’s incident.
“They walk over the bridge, that was 1.57 (am), they walk on the ledge, and right wey that bucket dey, they bring that bucket and a bag, with 6 channa bomb … 6 channa bomb, right … when they pelt the first one, it didn’t hit the roof, it hit the wall, and the whole house in ruction, and this is where I get up.”
Samaroo said by the time she shouted “fire, fire,” the men ran off.
A crying Samaroo, who had to smoke a cigarette to calm down during the interview, said the family was again attacked yesterday. She said her sister Neesha Lakhan, who was home yesterday morning, told her two men entered the house and proceeded to rob her and her son before setting the house ablaze.
“This morning they bun up meh father, they kill meh father in the couch, the poor man cyar walk, he cyar see, they burn him up in the couch for a piece of land.” Samaroo said the family had been on alert since Monday’s attack.
“Me, meh husband, meh brother-in-law, meh sister, we had to be waking whole night, like we wuking (expletive) security, from 12 am to 3.30 am. Them have to go to wuk, you tell me, when everybody sleeping we have to be waking, every noise we hear we watching, look wah happen now.”
Samaroo said a report was made to the Cunupia Police Station after Monday’s incident, but said she was not satisfied with how police handled the matter.
“The police who come from Cunupia Police Station, he need to take a course how he talking to people because he don’t know how to talk to people.”
Samaroo said no one wants to stay in the house now.
“You go like if your father died in that house and go back to stay there?” she asked.
Latchmedaye “Chandra” Ragoo, the wife of the victim, said two of her grandchildren were in the house at the time. Recalling the moments before her husband died, Chandra said she gave him some food earlier and he went to take his medication.
“He eat and he gone in the living room to take he medication, and my poor husband didn’t know he woulda die today.”
She said the family had been occupying the land for more than 50 years.
Contacted yesterday, head of the Central Division, Sr Supt Pierre, said Homicide South Region III would be conducting all investigations into Ragoo’s death until further notice. He urged Samaroo to communicate with him or any one of the senior officers regarding her complaint so “some intervention” could take place.
Police are continuing investigations.