Anna Catherina man shot, beaten by bandits, succumbs

The Anna Catherina, West Coast Demerara man who was shot and beaten by bandits after they invaded his home last week, yesterday succumbed to his injuries without regaining consciousness.

Balram Teekaram, 43, died just before 3 am in the Intensive Care Unit of the Georgetown Hospital, his son Ravin told Stabroek News. Ravin said that a nurse from the hospital informed the family about the death but did not go into details. When they arrived at the hospital later, he said the doctor told them he was “low and passed away”.

A suspect in the April 13 incident appeared in the Vreed-en-Hoop Magistrate’s Court on Friday charged with attempted murder. The name of the accused was not immediately available and according to a senior police official, the suspect who is on remand will now be charged with murder.

Balram Teekaram

The official said that investigators are working tirelessly to find two other persons who were involved in the early morning attack.

Just after 1 am three men broke and entered the house while Teekaram and his younger son, Yogindra, were asleep.

Yogindra had recounted to this newspaper that when he awakened the three attackers were in his bedroom which is next door to his father’s room. Two of the men were armed with guns. While one of the gunmen guarded him, Yogindra had said, the other two attackers then made their way into Teekaram’s room where they reportedly hit him to the head while he was still asleep and then shot him.

The perpetrators escaped with a silver chain, cellular phone and an ipod.

From all accounts, no one knew that Teekaram had been  shot until he was admitted to  the Georgetown Hospital. While examining him, doctors discovered that the man had been shot in the eye and that the bullet had exited. Teekaram’s jaw was also broken during the incident.

On Friday Ravin had said that his father had lost consciousness and was non responsive.

Doctors, Ravin said, had already told relatives that Teekaram had a 50/50 chance at survival.