Police hunt man who assaulted stepson with cutlass

Dec 03, 2015 News

Twelve years of torment could have ended fatally on Tuesday for 20-year-old Travin Bhagwandin, of 151 Cooper Street, Albouystown, after he was reportedly attacked by his cutlass-wielding stepfather, Aubrey Livan.

The injured Travin Bhagwandin

Bhagwandin sustained chops to his left shoulder and the back of his right hand due to his efforts to block chops fired by Livan. His wounds required close to 50 stitches.
The whole ordeal was witnessed by Bhagwandin’s mother, Janice Glen, and a few other family members, including two of Livan’s sons, Bhagwandin told this publication yesterday.
Recounting the attack, the young man, who was still in pain, said that the incident occurred Tuesday morning at Puruni Landing, Region Seven, where he helps to manage his family’s fuel boat business.
According to Bhagwandin, although he travels home regularly, he has been busy with work in Puruni helping his mother to construct a two-flat building, in which she hopes to start up a food business.
He said that while in Puruni he stays in the unfinished structure with his mother, stepfather, and a few other family members.
He added that although he and his siblings (his mother’s children) have grown accustomed to regular verbal and physical abuse from his stepfather since his mother became involved with him 12 years ago, Tuesday was the worst encounter.
“This man always threatening and cussing up me mother, threatening me sisters them; he does call me and me brothers them ‘anti-man’. He always calling we names…me and he fight before; he lash me up before,” said Bhagwandin.
He claims to have knowledge that his stepfather’s actions are linked to his abuse of drugs. “He got an old 370 (handgun) and like he feel he is de boss,” added Bhagwandin, who related, “Me big brother does always tell we mother ‘Mommy, you not gonna done with that man till he damage one of we (children).’”
According to the 20-year-old, who is the last of his mother’s six children, he woke up around 06:00 hours as usual. He was washing some clothes outside while singing. According to the young man he would soon learn that his stepfather was opposed to his singing. “Like he ain’t like how I singing; I was singing nuff (many) songs…song after song, like reggae…Alkaline and suh, and like that was getting he vex,” related Bhagwandin.
“He tell me mother I got to move out…This is me mother place and I is the man that building it and he telling she fuh put me out…” the 20-year-old recalled.
Bhagwandin said that he made it clear to his stepfather that he was not going to move. This spurred the cutlass attack. “He rushed down with a cutlass and grabbed another one from mommy; she been in the yard with me, and I run through (an) unfinished section of the house,” the young man recounted.
But it was just when Bhagwandin thought it was safe to exit that Livan reportedly launched his attack. The young man is convinced that his stepfather was aiming for his neck and not his shoulder.
With blood streaming from his wounds Bhagwandin said that he ran to the “warder” building to seek refuge. The ‘warder’ building is one that accommodates mining officers and other officials. There he was able to get some help to stop his bleeding wounds and was transported to Bartica to get medical attention.
After getting medical attention, Bhagwandin said that he reported the incident to police at Bartica. He is hopeful that the police will be swift in arresting the man.
A senior officer at the Bartica Police Station confirmed that the matter was reported and efforts are being made to capture the suspect. The officer, however, noted that due to the geographical situation apprehending the suspect might not be an easy task.