Mahaica fisherman stabs reputed wife to death, drinks poison

Deomattie “Kalvina” Persaud, a 23-year-old mother of two, was on Thursday morning stabbed to death by her reputed husband, 43-year-old fisherman/farmer Bishwanie Maraj, who is now in critical condition at the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital after ingesting a poisonous substance.
This incident occurred just outside the couple’s Lot 34 Third Street, Belmonte Mahaica home on the East Coast of Demerara at some time around 09:30h.
Guyana Times understands that the couple have been living together for the past eight years, and would usually have disagreements. However, about a month ago, Persaud abandoned the home and took their two children – aged seven and six. Maraj collected the kids from Persaud’s mother about a week ago, and when the young woman turned up on Thursday morning, reportedly to take the children to school, she was dragged out of the taxi and stabbed several times by her reputed husband.

A neighbour, Aubrey Mayers, told reporters that when he became aware of what was happening, he rushed to the woman’s assistance.
“When [the wife] come, the husband come and meet she out on the dam, and the encounter happen… When I go there, she lay down on the dam, gapping… Then I go and try to hold he [back, but] he pull way and go [in the yard and] lean down a bottle,” Mayers related.

The neighbour claimed the couple would usually have disagreements and Persaud would leave, but would always return a few days later.
“I try my best as neighbour [to help them]. He grow up here, she from Cane Grove, and they live together long, but you know does get lil normal family problem. Is only couple days now I talk to he and tell he things like this does happen,” the man related.
Asked, Mayers noted that while he never saw Maraj physically abuse his young, common-law wife, they would often be heard quarrelling.
This newspaper understands that the Police were summoned to the scene, but had to break a window to get to Maraj, who locked himself in the bottom flat of the house after consuming Bestox – a highly active insecticide.
He was rushed to the Mahaicony Cottage Hospital, where he was admitted in critical condition.
Persaud’s mother, Shamdai Punu, told reporters she was at work on Thursday morning when she received a phone call about her daughter’s death. The woman said she did not believe, but still went to the scene, where her worst fears were confirmed.
According to the grieving woman, her daughter had been abused by Maraj, who would often fail to provide for their small family. She claimed the man would at times not work for two to three weeks.
Punu said her young daughter, frustrated over the situation, decided to permanently leave Maraj about a month ago. She had been staying with her sister in Leonora while her two children were with her mother, from whom Maraj had taken the kids about a week ago.
However, Maraj’s sister gave a different account of the couple’s relationship. She said Persaud would be home all day and not do any of the household chores.
“She does be on she phone and watch TV whole day, and don’t do no work, sometimes she don’t even cook. I does gotta be cooking for my brother for weeks sometimes, when he come out from sea,” the tearful woman related.
This sister went on to claim that after moving out, Persaud had allegedly moved in with another man, but would still call Maraj and talk to him almost daily.
However, the mother of the young woman denied knowing about any new relationship involving her daughter.
Persaud’s body is currently at the Lyken Funeral Parlour awaiting a post mortem examination.