Attorney-at-law Gomattie Singh is in hospital after a lone assailant threw acid in her face as she sat in her vehicle outside the Guyoil gas station on Sheriff Street yesterday afternoon.
Singh, a resident of Prashad Nagar, is in a city hospital nursing serious burns to her face.
The attacker arrived in a taxi and fled in the same manner seconds after dousing Singh who is said to be in her fifties. The assailant made no effort to conceal his face or the vehicle’s number plate, this newspaper understands.
This bizarre incident has sent shock waves throughout the legal fraternity. Several of her colleagues last evening called for justice and urged the police to act swiftly to catch the perpetrators.
Reports reaching Stabroek News are that the incident occurred as the attorney was speaking to someone standing outside her RAV 4 vehicle just after 4 pm.
An eyewitness recounted to this newspaper that Singh, her husband and grandson were in the vehicle which was parked outside the gas station. Singh had her window down and was speaking at the time when a light blue car bearing an HB number plate stopped a short distance away.
The eyewitness recalled that a young man got out of the vehicle and started heading towards her. He had a black bag in his hand and as he neared Singh, the man pulled out a bottle with an orange liquid and threw it into the woman’s face.
The eyewitness told Stabroek News that following the incident, the woman was placed in another vehicle and rushed to the hospital.
The seat that Singh was sitting in was burnt badly and her glasses were lying there too, the witness said.
The information this newspaper received is that the man calmly returned to the car that he arrived in and it sped off. Singh’s husband Krishna and grandson were not injured.
Contacted last evening Chairman of the AFC, Khemraj Ramjattan expressed deep shock at the attack. Ramjattan said that from all accounts the attacker threw the corrosive substance straight into her face. Singh operated out of Ramjattan’s chambers and it was from there that she went on to complete her law studies.
Oh, very sad…
The horribleness of this incident reflects what life has come to in Guyana. That this poor woman sitting in a car with her grandchild could be attacked and burned with acid from an assailant traveling in a taxi is incomprehensible.
How many taxis fit that description. Surely the registration records of these vehicles can be perused, and by a process of elimination the suspected vehicle can be identified. There cannot be 100 taxis with that color and number plate beginning with HB.
They had to have been following this woman’s vehicle. The perpetrators have to be known to her or know her. Unfortunately we have a law enforcement system in which disgruntlement and malaise is prevalent, and mediocre is a euphemism when describing its leadership, both civilian and uniform.
Cowards, cowards.
This is much more than a horrible incident, words are not there to describe it.
I have known Ms. Singh from a more personal level, she is a very devout hindu and is very committed to her family. When incidents happen like this to our professional minds, in broad daylight, loads of questions comes up to be answered.
It is now very clear that our society has degenerated tremendously, where there is absolutely no respect for our fellow humans and more so to life.
My sincerest condolences goes out to the immediate family members of Ms. Gomattie Singh and i pray that she recovers quickly.
Not good at all, the lack of respect for professionals in Guyana continues to rise, on all fronts.
Horrible act, lock up the perpetrator and throw away the key.
I am happy she had her glasses on. Thank God. I hope that nothing happens to her sight. What could have motivated one to do such thing?
Gun is one thing in Guyana, but Guyana needs to enact legislation to make certain dangerous chemicals such as Sulphuric Acid or “Fire Water” available only to certain individuals. From the color of the substance used, I am of the opinion that it was Sulphuric Acid. Sulphuric Acid is all over the place. All the backstreet jewellers or Goldsmiths have it in huge containers hoarded. This substance must be sold in small quantities to registered users only. However, in a corrupt society anything can happen.
Red Lion
This is a direct attack on the law of Guyana.
what a coward.a cheap lowlife coward.hope the courts throw the book at him when caught.
An attack on the legal fraternity is one of the greatest criminal acts anyone will ever imagine. This country is going down the wrong path someone must come forward and make some critical decisions. The law abiding citizens will endorse any measure(s) that will reduce crime.
It appears to me that the culprit had it planned and he took the opportunity to carry out the act when she was not aware. Furthermore. people were around and I hope could positively identify the culprit and the vehicle he came in and left. I hope that the registration number was given to the police.
Crime is all over the world however we must seek ways in solving or reducing crime.This type of crime is very difficult to control.
I can’t believe it has gotten to the point where they would try to disfigure a member of the legal profession – for what?
I hope they got a really good description of the person. The number plate could have been false.
I would like to wish her a speedy recovery. Thank god her grandson and husband weren’t injured as well.