Guard found dead at Corentyne poultry farm

Another security guard was found murdered yesterday, this time at Corentyne, Berbice, and two persons are in custody assisting the police with investigations.
Dead is Karamchand Panchoo, 71, called ‘Guru’ of Nigg Settlement, Corentyne.

Police said in a press release that they are investigating the circumstances which led to the discovery of Panchoo’s body at the poultry farm at Number 19 Village (Don Robin) Corentyne.

According to the police, Panchoo’s body was found with head injuries by other workers about 06:45 hrs yesterday.

Investigations have so far revealed that the deceased and another watchman were on duty at the location about 20:30 hrs on Sunday, when they were confronted by three men, one of whom was armed with a cutlass and the two others with sticks. The two bandits with sticks took one of the watchmen a short distance away, while the other with the cutlass remained with Panchoo, the police said.

Karamchand Panchoo

Panchoo’s daughter, Baby Karamchand, with whom he lived, told this newspaper in a telephone interview that she received a telephone call around 8 am during which she was told that her father had been found dead. She said she went to the scene and when she got there, she saw him in a pool of blood with his bag on his shoulder and his cap still on his head. She felt that he had been about to leave work when he met his demise.

Baby Karamchand said she was told that the other watchman had been tied up by the alleged bandits but said she found it difficult to believe since she had been told that there was no sign that anything had been stolen from the farm.

Asked if her father had any enemies or if she knew of anyone who might have wanted to hurt him, Baby replied “yes”. She said her father had told them of a co-worker, who in several occasions threatened him. She said the same man had at one time injured her father’s eyes.

Her father had reported the injury and the man had paid him a settlement and promised not to assault him again.
She said her father was a very quiet man and she could see no reason why someone would murder him. She also said that he was a sickly person.
Karamchand Panchoo’s body is at the New Amsterdam Hospital Mortuary awaiting a post-mortem examination.