Seven Guyana Sugar Corporation Inc. (GUYSUCO) workers were wounded when they were beaten and robbed Monday night by three gunmen while on duty at Spring Bridge, Lusignan Backlands, East Coast Demerara.

Nandkumar Gopaul

Police said that at about 22:30 h, security guards Chandradeo Dharamdeo, 51, and Baburam, 54, both armed with 12-gauge Winchester shotguns, along with tractor operator Sukhdeo, 59, chain operator Dharmendra Ramlall, 36, and tractor operator Nandkumar Gopaul, 28, were at the Spring Bridge area awaiting the arrival of punts with sugarcane when they were confronted by the three gunmen.

A press release said while the men were approaching them, the GUYSUCO workers heard a loud explosion, and Baburam managed to escape by jumping into a nearby canal which he crossed, and then sought refuge in the cane fields.

During his escape bid, Baburam dropped his shotgun.

The gunmen then relieved Dharamdeo of his firearm, 10 cartridges and a radio set, all property of the sugar corporation, along with a cell phone, wrist watch, a pair of spectacles and $1,800 in cash, Police said.

Dharamdeo, Ramlall, Gopaul, and Sukhdeo were all beaten by the three men and subsequently treated at the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation.

Police reported that after the attack, the three gunmen abducted Sukhdeo and ordered him to transport them with the tractor to a bridge aback of Buxton.

Meanwhile, other GUYSUCO security personnel rushed to the Spring Bridge area and rescued the other three workers after they had not received any response to their routine calls on the radio set, Police said.

According to the Police, they received the report at about 23:15 h and responded promptly, accompanied by soldiers of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).

Escape routes along the backlands were cut off and joint foot patrols were launched, Police reported.

Baburam was found about 04:50 h yesterday at a watch hut near the Lusignan Prison, after having crossed several canals in the cane fields.

Police said they recovered two live 7.62 x 39 rounds and one spent shell at the scene and up to press time the perpetrators were still at large and investigations are continuing.

Dharamdeo, of 99 Dr Miller Street, Triumph, East Coast Demerara, was very fortunate to escape with his life after he pretended to be dead.

He said he was at ease because he felt they were soldiers on patrol in the backlands.

The Supernumerary Constable, attached to the Ogle Estate, East Coast Demerara, said the men first asked if they were GUYSUCO workers and they responded; but soon after the men said "Police" "Police" and opened fire on them.

"I fell to the ground and pretended to be dead, and they were kicking me and searching me," he said.

He said he lost consciousness several times as the gunmen argued among themselves whether to kill them all.

The GUYSUCO worker said the gunmen thought they were policemen, as their uniforms are similar to those of the Police, and he was wearing a bullet-proof vest.

"In my 16 years service to GUYSUCO I have never experienced anything so traumatic and it was a very frightening experience. I knew I had to play dead to save myself any further harm", he said.

Dharamdeo is a single parent with three children; his wife died a few months ago.

Gopaul, of 8 Triumph Side Line Dam, said he was gun-butted on the head twice while he pleaded for his life after the gunmen discharged several rounds at them and threatened to kill them all.

Gopaul lost consciousness several times and returned home after 04:00 h yesterday after he reported to the police and was treated for his wounds.

He said the other tractor operator, Sookdeo, called "Sook", of 196 Mon Repos North, was ordered to transport the gunmen to the backlands at Buxton and was released.

Meanwhile, GUYSUCO chain boy, Dharmendra Ramlall, 35, of 593 Annandale West, is nursing wounds to his head after he was gun-butted by the gunmen.

"I saw death and I was praying all the time and begging for my life when they were arguing whether to shoot us all," the man said.

He was yesterday surrounded by his family and neighbours and cane harvesters.

A press release from GUYSUCO Ogle Estate, East Coast Demerara, yesterday said that around 22:00 h, five cane transporters and security escorts came under attack by three unknown gunmen at Lusignan Spring Bridge while transporting cane from LBI to Enmore.

The release said GUYSUCO would like to highlight the fact that all seven employees involved in the incident are accounted for and have received medical attention.

The workers and security escorts were forced to lie face down after shots were fired in the air, the corporation confirmed.

Wednesday, July 26, 2006