Guyanese man who sets wife on fire captured at JFK Airport

Sep 16, 2021 News

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By Malisa Playter-Harry

Kaieteur News – Collaborative efforts between law enforcement officers in Guyana and the United States resulted in the arrest and return of a man who is wanted for attempted murder committed on his wife, Sandramma Raju also known as ‘Roma’ and ‘Sandra’, a 29-year-old Lab Technician attached to the Skeldon Public Hospital.

The wanted man, Ganesh Sheocharran, was taken into police custody yesterday morning after he was denied entry into the US, Crime Chief Wendell Blanhum said in a statement.
Police said that they received information that Sheocharran, for whom a wanted bulletin was issued last night, managed to board a flight to the US at 17:26hrs on Tuesday, September 14, 2021.

On learning of this, the Guyana Police Force then made urgent contact with law enforcement officials in the US and informed them that Sheocharran was wanted by local police for the crime committed on his wife. When the suspect arrived in the US, he was denied entry, apprehended and sent back to Guyana on a Caribbean Airlines flight. That flight arrived at approximately 06:54hrs yesterday morning (September 15). Local police were awaiting his arrival at the airport and he was arrested and placed in custody.
A wanted bulletin was issued for Sheocharran Tuesday night after he was reported to have set his wife on fire following an argument at their home in Port Mourant, Corentyne, Berbice. She was rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital where she is said to be in critical condition –approximately 98 percent burns about her body.
In a statement issued by the US Embassy in Guyana, Ambassador Sarah-Ann Lynch praised the cooperation of local and foreign authorities and said that “it is this kind of collaboration that will make our region safe for all Guyanese. Congratulations to all who were involved, as the rule of law is our collective responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Subramani Raju, the father of the hospitalised woman, told reporters that he and his wife received word about their daughter at approximately 12:30 Monday morning. The man said that his grandson (the injured woman’s nephew) had called to tell them that “aunty get burn.” The man said that he asked his grandson how and the child replied, “she throw kerosene on she skin.” On hearing this, the father said that he rushed to the house and took his daughter to the hospital.

“She is doing very bad…about 98 percent of her body burn. She said she throw the kerosene on herself, my grandson said since 9 the Monday night dem rowing and me na know if the passion in she mek she come down and I don’t know if the man tell she if she want dead or what. But what me get to understand, he light she pon fire when she throw the kero and he wait till she burn up.”
The father said that Sheocharran and his daughter have a five-year-old daughter who is currently staying with other relatives. He revealed too that the couple has been together, “on and off,” for the past six years.
Years of abuse and control
According to the woman’s parents, the couple always had issues and Sandramma would usually tell them and then she would move back to their house at No.1 Village, Corentyne, Berbice.
Her mother Anita Jailall, said, “she does pack all her stuff and come away and you know me does think she guh stay forever. She does work Skeldon Hospital and he does drive hire car and he does go and wait fuh she, suh she does feel shame because her workmates does come. He does go and pick she up without permission when dem fight and so she does go in he car and she does come way with he and then she does come and pick up all her stuff and gone.”
Jailall said that on many occasions when her daughter visited, she would notice black and blue marks on her hands but she would always say that she accidentally hit it.

“Sometimes me does see black and blue on she hand and she does say how she walk and hit herself so she never talk that he hit she…” the mother disclosed.
The parents revealed too that for the past few weeks, they hardly saw their daughter and that “he was controlling her.” According to the mother, on Saturday, Sandramma had visited their home but did not speak to her brother who was there. “Saturday, she come and the granddaughter does come and when she come for she daughter, she na even break a word to she brother. And when me go home, me son start cry because he feel it so much because is just the two of them. The two does gree so nice but I dunno what the man do she. He was keeping her away from us,” Jailall asserted.
According to Jailall, seeing her daughter in such a state is “nerve racking”. She disclosed too that while medical professionals have indicated that her daughter has a slim chance of survival because of the extent of the burns, she is optimistic that she will make it.
Police are still investigating.

 

 

 

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