Cumberland businesswoman, daughter robbed, beaten by bandits

Where the attack occurred

Two cutlass-wielding bandits yesterday afternoon robbed and badly assaulted a Cumberland Village, East Canje, Berbice businesswoman and her daughter, during a robbery on their grocery store.

Shakeela Sankar, 59, sustained injuries to her head, while her daughter, Razia Somar, 29, sustained injuries about her body. Both women were at the New Amsterdam Public Hospital as of last evening receiving treatment.

Rudy Sankar, also known as “Desmond”, a Canje hire car driver, explained that his wife contacted him just around 1:48 pm yesterday afternoon and informed him that two men armed with cutlasses had invaded their business and robbed them.

He said his wife, daughter and grandsons were at home when the bandits pounced on them. The bandits reportedly used duct tape to cover their victims’ mouths and to tie their feet together.

Sankar said the men carted off a sum of cash, jewellery, computers and phones. “Everything them gone with, me na really get to ask she (wife) how much in all because them deh hospital but everything them clear out”, the devastated man said.

According to Sankar, they have been operating the business for over 15 years and this is the second time they have been robbed.

Meanwhile, Stabroek News was told that two men who are suspected to have been the lookouts, have been arrested.

“The two lookout get lock up because them police come quick,” a neighbour related. “When I hear the lil boy holla and then them people holla, I collect me cutlass and run over and when I run like then them two bandits realise people running. Them run out and two bandit wah been deh out— one been stand here and the other one been stand so— so when them police come people talk that them na from the area and them get lock up,” the neighbour recalled.