Drug-crazed man hacks wife, son to death

By Rabindra Rooplall
A MAN said to be drug-crazed went berserk early on Friday morning, killing his reputed wife and their two–year–old son, and severely injuring his mother at their Lot 57, Best Village, West Coast Demerara (WCD) home.

The rampage continued after the man fled to Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, where he chopped a man about the body.

Dead are 34-year-old Vanessa Sukhram-Persaud and her two-year-old son, Joel Ganesh. The suspected killer, Suresh Ganesh, 28, severed a hand of his 49-year-old mother, Jennifer Montassar, who was rushed to the West Demerara Regional Hospital before being transferred to the Georgetown Public Hospital, where she is in a critical condition.

Ganesh, who is known as “Battery” and “Tarzan”, was shot twice as police pursued him. He has been arrested and is expected to face the court early next week. Ganesh worked as a fisherman and a part-time construction worker.

Senior Superintendent Stephen Mansell, Commander of the West Demerara Police Division, told the Guyana Chronicle that the police immediately responded and cordoned off the crime scene. Police then began the hunt for the perpetrator in the wee hours of the morning.
According to Commander Mansell, the police caught up with the suspect in Samaroo Dam, where they were met with resistance, after the perpetrator had chopped another man about the body.

The Commander described Ganesh as a “drug addict” who violently attacked the police. He said the ranks defended themselves by shooting the suspect in his foot and on the left hand.

BLOOD SOAKED MATTRESS

Sukhram-Persaud, a mother of two, was found on a blood-soaked mattress with her neck almost severed and with chops to her jaw, arms and fingers. Her son was found lying next to her with his intestines protruding. Ganesh’s brother disclosed that he had fled the scene and barely managed to escape the chopping. However, the suspect’s step-father, Ronald Williams, disclosed that his wife (the killer’s mother) had taken some bread over to give Ganesh to eat while he (Williams) was making tea. He explained that while he was in the kitchen, he heard his wife screaming, and upon checking, he saw his step-son chopping her.

This newspaper understands that the alleged killer told the police that his wife had been unfaithful, and he was “stressed out”, since he is unemployed and had difficulty finding a job.

According to reports, Ganesh was arguing with his wife over food, claiming that he was hungry. His mother overheard the heated argument and decided to take a piece of bread over to the shack where Ganesh lived with his wife and son; the shack is located right behind his mother’s house.
As she was so doing, the woman was greeted with several chops fired by her son, who was standing outside. She dropped the bread and ran towards her home, but the young man chased her and continued his chopping spree.

At 04:00hrs, the mother, step-father and brother then ventured outside to investigate what had occurred, but they were then greeted again by Ganesh, whom they thought had left the area. Ganesh then attacked his mother once again, while the step-father and brother sought refuge in nearby bushes.

After the gruesome act, Ganesh escaped to Samaroo Dam, Pouderoyen, West Bank Demerara, where he breathlessly ran into a woman’s yard, telling her he was being chased.

A neighbour of the woman came to her rescue after Ganesh ran into her home, chopping items in the process. He then chopped the neighbour before being taken into custody.