…wife fled with child after beating
A Cane Grove businessman was yesterday in a critical condition in the burn care unit of the Georgetown Public Hospital after allegedly beating his reputed wife and setting their home ablaze.
The remains of the house at Cane Grove. The police station is in the background.
Nazim Khan was admitted to the hospital’s Burn Care Unit some time after 3 am yesterday. A neighbour who lives directly behind Khan’s home said that he was trapped in the house after he allegedly set it ablaze. Minutes earlier his wife, Reena Baychan, had grabbed their baby and ran into the Cane Grove Police Station located opposite their home.
A resident, who wished to remain unnamed, told Stabroek News that the fire started at approximately 2 am yesterday. Khan, they said, had been drinking on Saturday evening at a shop “up the road” from his house. The couple operated a shop from their home and millions worth in goods, cash and other valuables were consumed in the fire.
“When he come home he start to argue with Reena,” the neighbour recalled, “and he start beating she…when I look over I see he got she on de back step beating she”.
This, Baychan’s relatives said, was not the first time the man had beaten the woman. Not too long ago the couple, according to them, was in court for an assault matter. Khan had allegedly beaten Baychan and some of her relatives while he was under the influence of alcohol. However, Baychan believed that her reputed husband had changed and they subsequently reunited.
“I can’t lie,” the unnamed neighbour said, “because you got to give jack it jacket. He [Khan] was a very respectful man. Whenever I go into the shop and he sell me something he would tell me thanks. Look up to yesterday afternoon [Saturday] we were laughing and gaffing like normal…he was nice but when he drink he was a different person.”
Baychan, the neighbour recalled, managed to escape from her reputed husband and ran into the yard. The woman played hide and seek with the “drunken” man and managed to get into their home and “scramble” their daughter.
“After she scramble de baby she run over to de police station across de road,” the neighbour said. “Only one policeman was there at de time and he lock de station gate and tell Nazim to stay out.”
Being denied access to his wife Khan became enraged, hopped into his minibus and drove it out to the main road, residents said. Minutes after the man drove right into a drain which added fuel to his rage, residents said. Khan returned to the station gate at this point and started to shout and then suddenly rushed back to his house.
“…I see this fireball and start to scream…”
Shortly after, the neighbour said, fire began spreading rapidly down the rear stairs with Khan trapped inside.
“We started to scream but nobody couldn’t hear because music been blaring from couple wedding houses in the area,” the neighbour recalled. “We realize then Nazim was in the house but we couldn’t do anything.”
The houses in the area are situated close to each other and panic quickly spread through residents. A woman who lives behind Khan said she was directing her relatives to throw mud water on her wooden home when she saw “a big fireball pitching” through a rear window of Khan’s burning house.
“I look up and see a big fireball pitching through the window. I see this fireball and start to scream cause I say is done me house done to but when I catch meself I see de thing land in Nazim backyard and start moving around. Is only them I realize is he this fire been all over.”
The woman said that most of Khan’s body was bloody and as she rushed to his side the only words he said were “Aunty [the woman’s name] save you house”. Khan collapsed, the woman said, and those were the last words anyone heard from him. He was carried to another neighbour’s yard and then rushed to the hospital.
Hospital sources reported at press time that the man was in a critical condition. Stabroek News was unable to contact Baychan, who residents said, was staying with relatives.
The house belonged to Baychan’s grandparents, one tearful relative said yesterday afternoon. Baychan’s father was responsible for the wooden two-storey structure and had allowed the woman and her husband to live there.
again..when did it all began when will it end…mad/sad
“A neigbour said”. Well, well, well. SN, when you gon stop encouraging gossiping and intrusion into people’s private business with speculation and hearsay ? Is this what SN s supposed to be as a “serious” paper ? This story merited one line: “The Police Fire Service is investigating a fire which yesterday destroyed a structure located at Grovea.” END OF STORY.
Oh I forgot, the paper is supposed to be “community spirited public entity highlighting domestic and alcohol abuse.” …….
Well after the horse as bolted lets shut the gate. Alcohol related incidents have dominated the news on many fronts in the last couple of weeks. Should it not now be debated what impact it has on the communitys before allowing it to be sold by every ram goat that think they are business people.
Social impact is something that has been lacking from most successive governments policy by far so out of touch with the fabric of a good society.
No alcohol to sold near schools or public places in england no patrons any bar would get away with harrassing people has they walk by. the or shop would get the licence revoked.
Rum shop owners are accessories to crime in my mind let a drunk man buy rum in the uk dont think so.
Alcohol consumption and the culture of impunity strike again.
police allowed a drunk to drive ?????????????????????????????????
boy o boy a story to laugh at.
SN I READ A LOT GOING ON ON THE OTHER POLITICAL FOREFRONT, no news here but domestic rum drinking.
Ignorance mixed with alcohol,,,
….OR A COMPUTER MIXED WITH THE INTERNET…….HAHAHAHHAHAHA
The man burned down a house owned by his girlfriend’s grandparents. Some of you will recall that I recently wrote advice to Guyanese women who want to escape the torment of Guyanese life under two different threads. One of the pieces of advice that I gave is that women should not allow men to live in homes that they purchased with their own money. That advice also covers homes that are owned by a woman’s family members. I think it is ridiculous that the woman now has to beg relatives for a place to live after that drunk she was involved with burned down a home owned by her family, especially after the man allegedly beat her and some of her relatives, lol. She should not have rekindled the relationship with him and should have stayed in the home by herself. Sigh
Why didn’t the police arrest this man when he went to the station the first time, i’m sure that his wife told the officer what was happening, this goes to show how irresponsible the gpf is when it comes to domestic violence against women.
What made me especially angry is that the lone policeman allegedly locked down the station. This to me is the worst injustice in the story. He should have put the man in a holding cell until he cooled off. Then the neighbour can recall the entire abusive story and did nothing, something is definitely wrong with this picture.
Impose a luxury tax on alcohol!
Alcohol is poison. Ban it.
studies have shown that most of the consummers of alcohol in guyana are of indian descent the ppp would never ban it but i do agree with a luxury tax. secondly places selling alcohol…rum shops etc. should not sell to patrons who appears drunk.
You don’t hear ppl smoking herbs behave like this!!
I agree….
NEVER!!!
How come Ramjattan and the AFC boys did not visit this family as yet??? This is a clear case of neglet of duty by the police…