Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Public Security hereby responds to reports appearing in some sections of the media (Kaieteur News 06-09-2018), (News Room 06-09-2018) of the alleged assault on a woman and a teen by the operatives of the Stray Catcher Unit of the Ministry of Public Security.
The report alleges that on September 6, 2018, in Kaneville housing scheme, the stray catchers caught a cow that was astray. In the process of loading the animal onto the vehicle, “19 year-old Vikash Tulsi and older sister Roma arrived and demanded that the stray catchers leave the cow alone since their home was six houses away”. The reports further state that in response to the teens’ demands the “Stray Catchers began to assault the siblings. After the mother run fuh save them, they [stray catchers] start beat she tuh. When the brother run, they [throw] he in the trench”. As a result of this altercation the police were summoned and the combatants were taken to the Diamond/ Grove Police Station.
The Ministry through its Public Relations Department and Stray Catcher Unit contacted the Diamond/Grove Police Station and learnt that the report given by the Tulsi family was misrepresented rendering the reports by the media inaccurate. Reports coming out from the police suggest that about fifteen minutes after the cow had been tethered to the stray catcher truck, a young man rode up on a bicycle armed with a piece of two by four wood of approximately five feet in length, assaulted one of the catchers and threatened the others.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Tulsi family arrived and attempted to release the stray. This agitated the animal causing it to make a dash for freedom. The rope to which it was tethered swept the Tulsis and one of the catchers off their feet. In its excited state the animal got up and trampled through the Tulsi family while they were on the ground. Reports are also, that Roma Tulsi was extremely aggressive holding on to the rope and saying that “dem gaffa kill me hey today”.
The Ministry holds the view that it is irresponsible of the media to report on an issue without contacting all parties involved and would like to remind the media of its role in shaping public opinion and the need therefore to be accurate in its reporting.
The police are currently continuing investigations.
Yours faithfully,
Mary Adams
Public Relations Officer
Ministry of Public Security
