-husband taken into custody
A 50-year-old Cornelia Ida (CI) woman, after suffering more than a decade of abuse at the hands of her reputed husband, was stabbed to death yesterday afternoon. The man has since been taken into custody.
Krishandai Singh, called Geeta, of 245 Block ‘X’ CI, West Coast Demerara sustained a single stab wound to her heart, doctors told relatives. She was pronounced dead on arrival at the Leonora Cottage Hospital shortly before 3pm yesterday.
The murder comes amid a spate of domestic violence killings including one on Tuesday in which another West Demerara woman, Omwattie Kallicharran of La Jalousie was knifed to death by her estranged husband who then took his life by drinking poison.
Singh’s reputed husband, Ganesh Narine, was apprehended by police more than three hours after the attack. Police in a press statement last evening said investigations have revealed that Singh’s reputed husband “allegedly went home under the influence of alcohol and was preparing to cook a meal during which an argument ensued between them. He is reported to have armed himself with a knife and stabbed (Krishandai) Singh to her chest”.
On May 26, police said, Singh had made a report to the police of an assault committed on her by Narine. The man was arrested and charged on May 27. He appeared at the Vreed-en-Hoop Magis-trate’s Court before Magistrate Fazil Azeez but Singh, police said, subsequently requested that no further action be taken against him. However, the magistrate placed Narine on a bond to keep the peace for two years.
Singh’s daughter, Amanda, was at home when the incident occurred. She told Stabroek News late last evening via telephone that her mother was not arguing with Narine.
It was the man, she said, who was verbally abusing her mother.
“He was cursing she up yesterday afternoon because she ask him to move out from the home,” Amanda explained. “She ask him to move out and he clothes de already pack in a bag…he was telling she that he going to kill she and burn down de house…after he bore she up he collect he bag and run.”
When Stabroek News visited the CI home at about 5.30 pm yesterday several relatives had gathered there and were still in shock. Singh’s son and daughter from her first marriage, one in their late 20s and the other in their early 30s, were with police giving statements. The woman shared the house with her children, their spouses, grandchildren and Narine.
“Her children warned her repeatedly to leave the man,” Singh’s former sister-in-law Gaitrie said. “Is not only now he beating she.”
Gaitrie said that she was informed by Singh’s daughter that the couple was in their bedroom arguing when Narine stabbed the woman. After the woman fell to the floor bleeding Narine fled the scene.
However, speedy action by relatives led to the man being captured at the Hague Seawall.
Other relatives reported that just three days ago Narine, said to be in his late 30s, had beaten the woman. The man, according to relatives, “smoked” and consumed alcohol regularly but had no steady form of employment. Singh has been with the man for almost 14 years and has continuously endured his “bad habits” and abuse.
“He does smoke,” one relative reported. “Plus he always quarrelling with she for money to go and buy his stuff and when he don’t get money from her then he does beat her.”
Leela, Singh’s neighbour, told Stabroek News that as soon as she heard what had happened she rushed over to the woman’s house. Singh, she remembered, was lying on her bedroom floor with blood oozing from her left side chest.
“After I see her there I kneel down and take a rag and wipe blood from her chest,” Leela said. “I took her face in my hands and I say ‘Aunty Geeta is wa happen’ but she didn’t answer. She didn’t react so I couldn’t tell if she was still alive.”
Singh, Leela said, was rushed to the hospital but “it was too late”.
The Ministry of Human Services and NGOs have made a concerted effort this year to tackle domestic violence but killings continue to occur regularly.
Last month Eunice Charlie, 55, of Waramit Farming Area, Awaruwaunau Village, South Rupununi and 31-year-old Gertude Edwards of Ithaca were both murdered, allegedly by their reputed husbands
On March 31, 39-year-old Pamela Mangru of Vreed-en-Hoop was stabbed three times in the throat and slashed about her body. She subsequently bled to death. Her alleged attacker and reputed husband Devon Limerick has since been charged with her murder.
On March 12 , Savitrie Arjune of Lot 382 Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, a mother of two was stabbed to death by her former reputed husband. He escaped and is still to be apprehended.
In February, 38-year-old Deborah Allen of Port Kaituma, North West District, was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital after being chopped by her reputed husband. Her teenaged daughter was chopped across the face and spent several days in the Georgetown Hospital.
That same day, two women, Nekecia Rouse, 25, and her sister-in-law, 18-year-old Alexis ‘Keisha’ George were slashed to death in New Amsterdam. Their attacker is still being sought.
