(Trinidad Express) Police officers, who were on Tuesday searching for the body of an Arima man who was reported missing, last Friday, had to run for their lives after they were attacked by bees in a forest in Arima.
Four detectives assigned to the Region II Homicide Bureau of Investigations—Sgt Wazir Ali, PC Ameer Mohammed and WPCs Williams and Rachel Rigsby—were stung by a swarm of African bees. It is the second such incident within recent times.
The incident occurred in a forest at Lalaja off the Blanchissuese Road, Arima, at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.
The officers, who were assisted by colleagues from the Northern Division Task Force and the Organised Crime, Narcotics and Firearms Bureau, were searching for the body of Nigel Chin.
Chin, a gardener of De Gannes Street, Arima, was reported missing last Friday by relatives.
Pieces of his clothing were found in some bushes one day later at Blanchissuese Road.
Even though the officers were attacked by the bees, they were able to recover a headless body, believed to be that of Chin.
Police are expected to return to the area later today with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture to search for Chin’s head.
A father and son, who police said had previous disputes with Chin regarding encroachment and planting of agriculture land in the forest, were in custody up to late yesterday, assisting with investigations.
The bees weren’t the only obstacle the officers encountered during their journey into the forest as they killed two large macaquel snakes they stumbled upon.
Detective Mohammed was hospitalised at the Eric William Medical Sciences Complex following the incident but was discharged from the facility yesterday and remained resting comfortably at home.
Ali, Rigsby and Williams, who were also attacked by the bees, were treated at hospital and discharged shortly after.
After the bees attacked the officers the district medical officer, who had accompanied them into the forest, assisted in rendering medical treatment before they were taken to hospital.
ASP Kenrick Mohammed of the Homicide Bureau is leading the investigations surrounding Chin’s disappearance and beheading.
