Father slays son
Murdered: Mahesh Chand.
Murdered: Mahesh Chand.

…during drug-money fight

In a drug-filled rage,a father of five fatally stabbed one of his sons twice in the stomach on Wednesday night when he stood up in defence of his mother, who was being beaten for $200 to buy cocaine.Dead is 24-year-old Mahesh Chand, a porter who worked on a truck,of Lot 81 Narine Street, Annandale, East Coast Demerara. In a statement police said that investigations are being conducted into the alleged murder, which occurred at about 23:30hs onWednesday.The alleged perpetrator,who is the victim’s father,subsequently fled the scene but has since been apprehended and taken into custody. Enquiries disclosed that the suspect had requested to borrow some money from his wife who refused his request. As a result they had an altercation which turned violent. The victim, who is their son,was present and he intervened.During the altercation the suspect armed himself with a cutlass and inflicted a wound to the chest of the victim, who ran and collapsed. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, the police statement ended.

The house where the murder took place.
The house where the murder took place.

Cocaine crave

Meanwhile, detailing the event on Thursday morning, mother of the deceased, Tajeranie Chowtie, told the Guyana Chronicle that it was about 10:30 hrs. on Wednesday when her husband, Amernauth Chand,began his usual demands for money to buy cocaine and cannabis sativa (marijuana). She stated that she was in bed with her husband when he got up and began pacing the house, demanding she give him money while her son, Mahesh,was asleep in the same bedroom.

As usual, the woman said he started to hit her and it was then Mahesh got up in her defence and it infuriated the man. She said her husband told their son, “You take your mother side and stand up to me.” The grieving woman related that there was a scuffle between the father and son after which the elder Chand armed himself with a cutlass from the kitchen. It was at this stage that Mahesh reportedly told his father that: “I big now,you can’t beat me anymore.” Guyana Chronicle was told that the elder Chand became angry and attacked his son,even after the young man had gone back to his bed. The woman said when her husband attacked her son she fled the house in fear and went to hide in the yard in some bushes. The other two teenage children also went into hiding. Chowtie told this newspaper that her husband usually works as a handyman around the area and he had given her $2000 earlier in the day and they made some purchases of things needed for the house and just $400 had remained.
She said her husband was aware of that and he wanted the money to buy drugs. He stole the money and even got $200 more from Mahesh just to leave her alone.

The woman said that after the stabbing her son was left bleeding on the bed and then they heard when he fell from the bed;but they were afraid to go to his rescue because Chand would, from time to time ,threaten to kill all of them. She said that after her husband left the house she went to her son and saw him panting for breath. The woman said she called out for help after which the neighbours came but by then Mahesh had bled out. It was about half hour later when he was transported to the GPHC,where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Amernauth Chand was later apprehended and is in police custody.

Abuse

Chowtie told the Guyana Chronicle that she suffered years of abuse at the hands of Chand and whenever she tried to leave him he would beg her to take him back. She said that because of the five children she always returned;but he never changed. The woman stated that because of fright two of her sons,ages 20 and 23 years old ,do not live with them, but rather at her sister in the same yard but in a house at the back. She noted that Mahesh,who is her eldest child,was the breadwinner of the home.

Grieving mother, Tajeranie Chowtie. [Samuel Maughn photo]
Grieving mother, Tajeranie Chowtie. [Samuel Maughn photo]

Her two younger children,a 15-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter,also reside with her in their one-bedroom wooden house. Chowtie said since she met her husband he has always been hooked on drugs,but back then he only used to use marijuana,but years later he began using crack cocaine. She told this newspaper that her husband did not drink alcohol, but abused drugs and had to get it 3 to 4 times a day- a habit she supported by giving him money out of fear of being beaten. The woman said too that when the children were younger he used to beat them and there was nothing she could do because he would beat her even more. Chowtie disclosed that her husband beat her a lot and even chopped her a few times.She wanted to see him go to jail,
but was always afraid of the repercussion.One time she got very close to having him charged but her medical report was bloodied and the police did not accept it. She tried to get a new one but had the royal run-around and gave up.

She reported too that when the neighbours tried to help her and the children,her husband would verbally abuse them. “My husband always used to tell Mahesh he will chop him because he does stand up for me when I getting beat and I never thought he would actually do it but everyone was afraid of him because he is very violent.” She said Mahesh and his father fought before and whenever he is hitting her,he (Mahesh) would step in to save her from being badly beaten.

Neighbours
On the streets,neighbours were livid, some of whom told the Guyana Chronicle that violence and loud quarrels were the norm whenever the elder Chand needs a ‘quick fix’ of drugs.
They said he would often beat his wife for money to buy drugs and when the woman refuses he would throw a tantrum. Villagers said that when they heard Chand quarreling on Wednesday night,it was nothing new,but when the mother began screaming for help they realised something had gone wrong.

They expressed shock since they described the man as being normal when he did not ‘smoke’ but when he was under the influence of drugs, he would become violent. Residents said the man would do work for them by cleaning their yards and do other odd jobs but he was not a responsible person and hardly gave any of his earnings to his wife and he did not contribute to the home. As a result of the hardships, the children had to come out of school, and began working at a young age.
They reported that Mahesh was the quiet one, who contributed to the home and looked after his siblings and mother.

 

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