By Alva Solomon

An elderly couple of Good Hope, East Bank Essequibo perished in a fire on Sunday night which was allegedly set by bandits who had attacked their home.

Dead is Mohammed Munir, 75 and his wife Bibi Jamila Munir 69, of Lot 17, Good Hope Public Road, East Bank Essequibo. The Munirs were rice farmers who have been in that field of agriculture for decades.

According to a police release, the charred remains of the couple were found among the debris after the fire was extinguished. According to reports, the Munirs were attacked by intruders around 11:00 pm on Sunday night.

The bandits gained entry through the back of the couple’s home, relatives noted. The house is heavily grilled and persons at the scene told this newspaper that the intruders set the house ablaze after the couple locked themselves in a back room.

The couple was heard screaming for help and soon after gunshots rang out in the house. Persons in the area tried desperately to gain entry to the burning house but to no avail. Police investigators were at the scene on Monday morning amid the rain while scores of relatives and friends gathered outside the gutted house.

The Munirs are well known on the West Coast of Demerara and the Muslim community. See full story in Tuesday’s edition of the Guyana Chronicle.