FIFTY-nine-year-old Pooran Lalchand’s bloodied body was yesterday morning discovered in the lower flat of his residence at Lot 511 Block 8, Mon Repos, East Coast Demerara.

It bore approximately six stab wounds, believed to have been inflicted by a knife that was found just beyond the confectionery shop he operated in the lower flat of his home.

Although he had taken a reputed wife after the death of his legal wife some time ago, he was reported to be living alone, and locked in a bitter court battle with said reputed wife. She is reportedly one of a trio of persons who discovered him dead, and had gone to the Beterverwagting Police Station to report that “something” had happened to him.

Lalchand and the trio were locked in a court battle, reportedly because they had sold the house with him still residing there, and he had moved to the High Court to prevent them throwing him out of his own house.

The trio, which also includes one of his sons, was arrested after the police had gone to the home and had conducted preliminary investigations into Lalchand’s murder. The arrested persons are currently assisting the police in their investigations.

Sleuths said Lalchand and the trio, one of whom lived in the same village, were not getting along and were always quarrelling over the property. It is believed that their difference escalated into murder, and the police are about to find out who knifed Lalchand to death early yesterday morning, and why this was done.

Neighbours told this publication that Lalchand was a very quiet person who used to go about his business in a normal way. They said he was seldom seen because he was mostly in his shop, and they expressed shock at his murder.

They reported that they did not hear anything unusual, nor did they observe anything out of the ordinary.

Police in a press release said at about 10:30 hrs on June 9, 2015, the body of Pooran Lalchand, 59, of Mon Repos, ECD, was found in his house with several suspected stab wounds.

The body is at the Lyken Funeral Parlour awaiting a post-mortem.

Two men and a woman have been arrested, and are in police custody assisting with the investigations.

Police said there were no signs of forced entry into the building, and whoever committed the homicide was allowed into the place and was known to the victim.

The edifice was cordoned off by the police, some of whom were still at the scene up to last night.

By Michel Outridge