…it’s alleged that a daughter, 14, laced the food with an insecticide
TWO of the five family members of the Dharamdat household hospitalized after eating a meal of hassar curry last Thursday, yesterday remained in critical condition at the Georgetown Public Hospital. And a sixth member, who did not share in the meal and did not take sick, has been taken into police custody and is assisting the police with their investigations.

Those in critical condition are Sukdeo Dharamdat, also called Tony, 42; and his 17-year-old son, Chaitram also called Satesh. Tony’s wife, Nandranie  Sukdeo, 40, and their two daughters, Hamwanttie and Bhunwaneshar, 15 and 13 respectively, remain warded at the female medical and surgical Wards at the institution, but their condition had improved by yesterday.

Meanwhile, one family member yesterday alleged that a third sister, 14, who did not partake of the meal, admitted to police that she had ‘laced’ the meal with a deadly insecticide used by her father to control pests infesting his crops.

One of the hospitalized family members yesterday told this newspaper that police turned up at the Georgetown Public Hospital on Saturday, while other relatives were visiting them. The police questioned the 14-year-old girl who claimed she had laced her family’s food with the insecticide. She was taken back to her home by the police who demanded that she produce the container with the substance she had used.

Asked what was the reason for attempting to poison her family, the teen allegedly said that it was because her parents did not approve of a relationship she was having with a 19-year-old young man who lives at Cane Grove, Mahaica, and were making concerted efforts to break up the relationship.
The family member also said that the family had had similar experiences of symptoms of poisoning after eating meals cooked by the sister. One such attempt was reported to the police, but nothing came out of it, this newspaper learnt.

Meanwhile, the 19-year-old boyfriend was said to have been taken into custody and is assisting the police with their investigations.