POLICE are to conduct impromptu raids at the Stabroek Market square following the murder of Haymant Persaud, brother of Commissioner of Police,Seelall Persaud.

Acting Police Commissioner, David Ramnarine,said the vicinity is a ‘hotspot’ after dark for traffic and criminal elements,as such raids are being done to make the area safe.
He told reporters on Monday at the Police Officers’ Training Centre that they are doing some work in collaboration with the City Constabulary to rid the area of criminal elements, who are lurking in the shadows of darkness to rob people.

Ramnarine deemed the incident as “sad” and most unfortunate loss of life when some persons were drinking at 03:00hrs in the morning and others wanted to steal Persaud’s chain,and when he put up his defence he was fatally stabbed.

He said they are working behind the scene to beef-up security in that area and those efforts will continue. On Friday morning at about 02:00hrs when the party at Stabroek Bar was in full swing and packed to capacity, the police swooped down on the premises and cordoned off the place after which they conducted a search of all its patrons. The raid yielded varying illegal instruments and a small quantity of cannabis sativa.

A 15-year-old boy is said to be in custody while sleuths are hunting another suspect up to press time. Persaud, 51, of Affiance, Essequibo Coast, was knifed to death on February 19 in the vicinity of Stabroek Market. He was positively identified by his sibling at GPHC mortuary after a bulletin was issued by the police seeking to identify the man. Reports stated that Persaud was on a ‘drinking spree’ when he was joined by a female, after which he was lured to a washroom in the area. Persaud was reportedly attacked by two men and stabbed with a knife and relieved of his money and other valuables,after which the men escaped. He was taken to GPHC where he was pronounced dead on arrival.