(Trinidad Express) A police officer attached to the Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) killed himself yesterday shortly after he attempted to kill a female relative.
Constable Lutchmansingh Pooran, 29, committed suicide at Spring Trace, Quarry Village, Siparia, in front of his niece’s home.
Pooran shot himself in the left side of his head using his licensed nine-millimetre pistol—his personal registered firearm while seated in the driver’s seat of his vehicle—a white Axio Toyota Corolla.
Moments before, he had fired shots at his niece, Angel Persad, with a bullet piercing her chest.
The incident took place around 12.45 p.m.
Persad, 21, was first taken to the Siparia District Health Facility and was later transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital, where she remains warded.
Persad’s grandmother, Sunriday Logan, said Pooran, who lived at Pancham Trace, Rochard Road, Barrackpore, parked his vehicle in front of Persad’s home. He told another relative to tell Persad to meet him because he had brought something for her.
She said Persad stood by the door and said she was not going into the car. She then left the house and began walking downhill. Logan said while Persad was walking, Pooran began shooting at her.
Logan, 65, said: “We ran inside the house. She ran inside the house. We were cooking food. Everything burnt. We were all frightened for our lives.”
While hiding inside their home, relatives heard a shot and realised that Pooran had killed himself.
She said no-one was expecting him to commit such an act and the reason behind it remained a mystery.
Logan said Pooran had now become a disgrace to the Police Service.
“He let down the whole Police Service and the country. He travelled abroad to get special training and come back. That was what he came back for?” she asked.
Pooran had served ten years in the Police Service.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (South) Donald Denoon, acting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)s Seemungal Rampersad and Beverly Rodriguez and Sergeant Anil Maharaj are leading investigations.
