Man kills wife, commits suicide

Jun 10, 2009 News

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– police recover bag with three knives

Yet another horrific crime of passion played out yesterday, this time at Canal Number Two Polder, where an estranged man stabbed his wife to death before attempting to end his own life.
Around noon, yesterday, 27-year-old Omattie Kalicharran, called ‘Reshma’, a mother of one, was stabbed by her husband from whom she had been separated for some two years ago.
The woman’s husband, Vishnudat Thajram, was subsequently rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital after he reportedly slit his throat after ingesting a poisonous substance.

The dead woman’s mother, Parbattie, told this newspaper that she last saw her daughter alive some time around 11:00 hours yesterday when she left their lot 31 La Jalousie Estate Road, home.
The woman said that her daughter left the home indicating to her that she was heading to the Immigration Office in Georgetown to uplift her passport, which she had recently applied for.
She recalled that earlier in the morning her daughter recognised her husband calling her cellular phone but she refused to answer.
However the woman said she later received a phone call any mother would dread receiving.
“De phone ring and meh son-in-law ask me wheh meh son deh, and he just tell me he kill Reshma; we must come fuh she,” the distraught woman said.
She added that given the history of threats her daughter endured from her husband she decided to check to see if her son-in-law was serious.
Parbattie said she immediately called a taxi and headed to the man’s sister home in Canal Number Two.
“When me and me son reach she just went lying under de house cover with a sheet; she de done dead,” the mother recalled.
According to Parbattie she was told that her son-in-law ingested poison and slit his throat. He was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital and subsequently transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital because of his condition.
The woman added that no one could tell her what really transpired between her daughter and her husband, not even the sister who was at home when the incident occurred.
“All she tell me was dat she see a white car pull up but she ain’t pay no mind to who come out de car, because she de watering plant in the back yard.”
The man’s sister, Kileshwarie Thajram, told this newspaper that she had no idea what transpired but after hearing a scream she came to the front of the house only to find her sister-in-law laying in a pool of blood and her brother standing over her vomiting.
“When I see de car I didn’t tek it fuh anything. I thought was some friend come so I just continue doing wha I was doing,” the woman related.
Meanwhile at the scene, residents gather around to get a glimpse of the woman’s body as news of the incident got around. On more than one occasion the woman’s mother had to be restrained by her son from touching the body.
The woman said that her daughter did not deserve to die the way she did. She said that her daughter, since the separation, was forced to make several reports to the police about threats from her husband.
“He always threatening to kill she because she tell he that she ain’t want mek up back with he. After dem separate she tek he back two time but this time she decide that she ain’t want he back,” the dead woman’s mother said.
According to the woman, on one occasion when they allowed the couple’s son to spend time with the father, they had a terrible time getting the child back.
“One time he carry de child to town. He call we and tell we he gon kill de li’l boy and after we beg he then he bring back the child,” the woman recalled.
The woman’s body was left on the scene for some two hours as the ranks on the spot waited for the crime scene detectives to arrive. Eventually the body was removed and taken to the West Demerara Hospital Mortuary.
Detectives were seen removing a bloodstained knife believed to be the murder weapon.
Sources say the woman sustained at least four stab wounds, two to her left breast, one to her left side shoulder and one to the abdomen.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY
Meanwhile over at the man’s New Road Vreed-en-Hoop home, his mother upon receiving the news, had to be consoled by neighbours and other relatives.
The woman, Raywantie Dover, said that she received a call some time around noon yesterday from a relative who broke the news to her.
“I went over to a shop to put credit in meh phone fuh call me son and is at de shop somebody call deh and tell me dat meh son kill he wife and drink poison,” Dover said.
She however noted that since earlier in the day she sensed something was wrong with her son but dispelled any negative thoughts.
“Normally when he get up he does hurry fuh breakfast, but this morning he refused fuh tek he breakfast.”
The woman, with tear-filled eyes, said what too was strange to her, was the fact that her son also refused to carry his lunch to work.
“He does wuk with a bakery shop, as a driver who does go around and sell pastries, so I was kinda worried.”
The man’s mother said her son only ate a piece of melon at her insistence, and then left with a white haversack.
This was the same haversack that detectives were seen removing from the crime scene. There are reports that there were two other knives in the same bag. One blood stained one was found near the woman’s body.
This suggested that Thajram planned his attack.
Dover said that later in the morning she made a call to him after checking the house and noticing that his driver’s license was still home.
“I call he and ask him how come he gone without his driver’s license and he tell me he ain’t need it and he just cut off the phone,” she recalled.
She said that some time later her son returned a call to her telling her that he had informed his employer that he would not be working.
“Is till I get the message then I realize why he de acting like dat but he was never a person like that. I ain’t know is wha dem do he.”
The woman said that despite the separation the couple still has issues, more so to do with their four-year-old son.
She said her daughter-in-law would always try to keep the child away from his father and that was always a concern for her son.
“She always trying fuh keep he son from he and fuh de time they de married is one time I see he slap she. They never had any problem,” she added.
She noted that as recent as last week the child’s mother contacted her son and indicated to him that she did not want him supporting the child financially anymore.
She said after her son related that to her she promised him that she would visit the probation office to inform them since the woman had previously taken him to court for child support.
“He couldn’t just stop paying child support so Monday I de preparing fuh go to de probation office and he tell me don’t bother.”
She then said that she was unaware that her son was planning murder.
Dover said her son endured a lot with his wife and there were times she wanted to intervene but did not, so as to avoid trouble in the young couple’s marriage.

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