By Rabindra Rooplall

POLICE are hunting an 18-year-old fisherman who stabbed his cousin to death after a New Year’s Day celebration.

Dead is 34-year-old Ganesh Ramlakan of 127 First Street, Mon Repos Pasture, East Coast Demerara. The carpenter and father of two was pronounced dead on arrival at the Georgetown Public Hospital. His assailant has been identified as 18-year-old Vicky Baldeo who lived in a neighbouring yard.

According to the dead man’s relative, Richard Gowkaran, at some time after 15:00hr on New Year’s Day, he retired from taking drinks and decided to relax upstairs when he heard a commotion downstairs. Upon checking, he discovered his nephew and another relative fighting.

“I see Vicky run into the house and come out back with two knives and started to stab him about his body repeatedly. These two didn’t had any problem; Vicky was out on the road drinking and Ganesh was home drinking. Then Vicky come home and slap he (Ganesh) behind the head, and he turn around and ask what he do that for,” the relative noted.

He said that the two men were “tumbling” on the ground when Vicky armed himself with a fisherman’s knife and another kitchen blade and began to brutally stab Ganesh about the body. It is believed that a particular stab to the man’s chest led to his eventual demise.

Gowkaran added that the teenager was also involved in a fight with him last year, and he had wanted to make a police report at the station, “but his sister begged for him.”

“He was drunk and wanted to jook me up, and his sister beg me to give him a chance. Now look what he do; he kill Ganesh!”

Concerned relatives tried to intervene, but were reluctant after Gowkaran and another family member were slashed to the hands.
Ganesh collapsed, and the cousin rushed into the home and grabbed his “fisherman” bag and made good his escape before police could have apprehended him.

A sister of the dead man said she knows of no problem than existed between the two cousins, and that the entire family was at home and were left shocked as the incident unfolded before them.