Mother of three strangled, husband in custody

An Albion, Corentyne mother of three was allegedly strangled by her husband on Sunday evening following a domestic argument.

Dead is Geeta Bissoondyal, 27, called “Diane”, of Lot 67 High Reef, Albion, Corentyne and formerly of Edinburgh Village, East Bank Berbice. Police reports suggest that the incident occurred sometime between 8 pm and 10 pm on Sunday.

Her reputed husband, Parbudial Tarachand called ‘Rakesh’ is currently in police custody.

Geeta Bissoondyal
Geeta Bissoondyal

Yesterday, Geeta’s mother, Clem Bissoondyal recounted that around 9.35 pm on Sunday, she received a call from her daughter’s in laws who  informed her that the woman’s reputed husband had hanged himself.

“We take a car and travel down to the Port Mourant Hospital. When we got there, the doctor told me my daughter died. I couldn’t a do anything. I start scream for me child. I never expect something like that,” she said.

The distraught mother related to this newspaper that her daughter’s lifeless body was discovered by her older sister who resides in Hampshire, Corentyne. The sister, Vashti, related that she sensed something was amiss after a cousin of the victim’s husband called her. Vashti and the cousin visited the home and called several times, but received no answer. They then kicked open the door and discovered the woman’s body.

This publication understands that after the discovery was made, the police were informed. When the lawmen arrived at the scene, they reportedly found the woman’s reputed husband attempting to commit suicide.

Geeta’s mother also related that on Sunday morning, her daughter’s reputed husband had made attempts to choke her during a fight.

She said Geeta called her around 10 am that day and told her what the man had done. In an attempt to make peace, Bissoondyal said, she sent her husband to talk to the man. She said her husband spent the entire afternoon at his daughter’s home, waiting for his son-in-law to return from work.

But when the two finally spoke, the suspect told his father-in-law to take the children with him when he was going home. When he refused, she said, the man said he would take his own life if his father-in-law did not take the children with him.

Bissoondyal said that when she heard this, she called the suspect and threatened to take him to a probation officer over his behaviour.

She said she last spoke to her daughter between 7 pm and 7.30 pm on Sunday, and she told her that she was in bed with two of her children while her husband was asleep. “That was the last time I talk to my daughter…,” the distraught mother said. Some two hours later she was dead.

Asked about a possible reason, Bissoondyal said that in April Geeta and her husband had a heated argument, which resulted in him hitting his wife in the presence of a cousin. “So after he [the cousin] saw the husband hit her, he turn and said, ‘this nice, nice girl you a hit’. And from there he [the husband] started accusing the two of being in a relationship,” she said.

A police source told Stabroek News that investigations, so far revealed that the cousin was in the presence of the couple when they were engaged in an argument on Sunday. He said the woman’s husband then took her inside their home and continued the argument.

It was noted too that the couple’s domestic problems had gained the attention of the courts.

Bissoondyal was described as a loving individual by many neighbours. Her family called her the best child anybody could have. The mother of three was also described as being jovial and kind-hearted.

This newspaper was told that Parbudial Tarachand called ‘Rakesh’, was taken to the Port Mourant Public Hospital under police guard. Reports suggest that he may have ingested a poisonous substance. Late yesterday afternoon, he was taken away by the police after being discharged from hospital.

A post-mortem examination performed on the woman’s body by pathologist Dr Vivekanand Brijmohan revealed that she died of manual strangulation.

The woman is survived by her three children Nickel 6, Brianna 3, and one-year-old Jaden, along with her siblings and parents.
Investigations are ongoing.