TAXI driver Rudolph Seebarat, 54, of Lot 198 Barclay Street, Goed Fortuin, West Bank Demerara, who succeeded in self-immolation after a domestic dispute on Wednesday, will be cremated tomorrow at Ruimzeight Crematorium, West Coast Demerara. The man, in a fit of rage, ingested rat poison before setting himself ablaze in the toilet at his backyard Wednesday morning, following a quarrel with his wife, Choonattie Ketwaru, whom he had dealt several cuffs.
Seebarat had become disenchanted and depressed over his car which he was unable to operate for hire because it was damaged and he had to drive someone else’s and meet a $3,000 daily target, she said.
On the fateful morning, the couple were involved in a row when she asked him to stay home and help her with some household chores.
The woman, with blood streaming down her face, told the Guyana Chronicle that she went upstairs in their home after the argument with him ended and she next heard her neighbour shouting.
She rushed downstairs to enquire what was happening, saw her husband ablaze and helped wrap him in a blanket. At the Georgetown Public Hospital (GPH), where he was taken, she was informed about the poisonous substance that was pumped out of his stomach as he suffered severe burns over his entire body.
Ketwaru said they had a misunderstanding over the damage to his vehicle and he became enraged and struck her some blows. But, after a few minutes, realising what he had done, he begged for her forgiveness and went to the back of the yard.
Their neighbour, Ganesh Chunilall, who went to Seebarat’s rescue, said he could not throw water on the burning man since he fell to the ground and his skin was peeling from the intense heat.
However, he was assisted to put a blanket over Seebarat and summoned transportation to take him to hospital.
Ketwaru said her husband had been upset and distressed since his car, which he operated for hire to earn a living, was damaged and became inoperable.
She explained that he was not earning enough to support the home and she urged him to try and fix his car and asked him to stay at home with her and do some chores but he insisted he wanted to go to work.
She said she took away his cell phone and he started to cuff her to the face before bowing to her and telling her he was sorry for what he did, since she is faithful to him and did not deserve such treatment.
Ketwaru said she had told her husband she was going to report him to the police and he would be locked up. Then she left him and went upstairs to inform relatives of the incident, just before he set himself alight.