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Non
Pariel residents
flee village
EMPTY: one of the several empty houses in Non Pariel since the Tuesday deadly attack on the Appanna family. (Mike
Norville photo)
Yesterday
the Chronicle visited the village and found that many families were
already gone and others were preparing to leave. One
resident who had already packed her belongings and was waiting for a
truck, said they no longer felt secure. She stated that there is no
protection from the criminal elements and they had toiled hard to build
their houses. Her
family of five has been living in Non Pariel for the past eight years, but
had never suffered at the hands of bandits. The
resident pointed out that the terror began Sunday night when other persons
were robbed, but the deciding factor for them moving was the killing on
Tuesday. According
to her, a vigilante group would be useless since the bandits usually
attack armed and in great numbers. "When
they coming, they coming in groups of twenties and so on", the
fearful woman said. For the time being, the family intends to rent a house
somewhere else. Another
resident said that her family has been trying to get a place in Georgetown
since the killing. She
said many residents feel the Tuesday morning attack by bandits on the
Appanna family signalled the return of a crime wave on the East Coast. According
to the woman who has a family of nine, the incidents are occurring at
quite an alarming rate. "This thing happening too steady now; is
since Sunday night bandits targetting persons in this area". She
also noted that should the police open an outpost in the area, residents
would feel more secure. "Many
nights, I does can't sleep because you always have to be alert", she
said, adding that she usually keeps watch from a window. "People so
afraid, that if a cat pass, they jumping". However
some others, although fearful have refused to move, since they have
nowhere to go. One
such family is the Appanna's neighbour who also had a terrible experience
at the hands of bandits. On
December 24, 2002 armed bandits robbed the Lall family and shot Mohabeer
Lall dead. His
wife yesterday told the Chronicle that she is fearful and confused, since
the bandits were also in her yard when bus owner Davechand Appanna was
stabbed to death Tuesday morning. "I
have four children and I don't want to leave my house, this is not
fair", the mother said. She further pointed out that her family went
through many struggles to achieve what they have. Mrs
Lall said that Tuesday’s killing was a startling reminder of her
husband's death. "When
these things happen, I go through mental torture. I started to shiver when
I hear that lady (Appanna’s wife) scream,” she said. Mohabeer
Lall was shot in the head in the presence of his children. The
`Canter’ truck he was driving had just turned on to the bridge of his
yard when he was confronted and shot dead by gunmen. His
widow added that the entire ordeal has taken a toll on her, since her
other neighbours were also robbed on Sunday night. They have since fled
the village. She
also wants a police outpost in the area. Her
husband was one of several persons, including policemen, armed gangs based
in Buxton killed during the 2002-2003 crime wave. Bandits
on Tuesday attacked the Appanna family who lived at 280 Section 'B' Non
Pariel and stabbed Davechand to death, while critically wounding his wife
Hemrajie. The
wife yesterday remained under intensive care at the Georgetown Public
Hospital Corporation, relatives said. She was chopped about her body and
suffered a fractured skull when bandits attacked the couple around 05:00
hrs Tuesday. Their
daughter Aruna, 14, who hid under her bed during the 10-minute ordeal, is
resting comfortably at relatives. Her family said they are monitoring her
condition, but have not yet sought counselling for her. The attack was the fifth on the family who were planning to shortly move into a house in nearby Enterprise.
Police
yesterday said investigations were continuing and no one had been
arrested. Police said three armed bandits were seen outside the Appanna house while two others beat and robbed the couple before fleeing with $100,000 in cash.
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