A Parika labourer is now battling for his life at the West Demerara Regional Hospital after he ingested poison following a fire, which completely gutted his home in the wee hours of Monday.
The hospitalised man has been identified as 49-year-old Mohan Persaud of Parika Backdam, East Bank Essequibo (EBE).
The remains of the Parika Backdam home
According to information reaching Guyana Times, the two-storey wooden building went up in flames sometime after midnight at the hands of Persaud, who is allegedly a known drunkard.
Reports are Persaud returned home from work on Sunday in an intoxicated state, which resulted in a confrontation between him and his wife. The dispute ended with the labourer threatening his wife, saying, “‘I will teach you a lesson’,” relatives reported.
Later that evening, the woman was awakened by the scent of smoke and subsequently discovered that the house was on fire. The family managed to escape the inferno before their house was burnt to the ground. It was then that the labourer indicated that he had consumed the poison.
The house on fire
However, while speaking to this publication at the hospital, the eldest daughter of the family, Shivanie Persaud, relayed that it was all an accident and as such, the destruction was not intentional.
“Me father been lie down on de bed a sleep and de lamp went next to he foot and he been drunk and he mussy get up fuh go outside or something and kick the lamp and the lamp fall down and blaze up with the fire,” the daughter related.
Moreover, the young woman went on to say, “By the time he coulda guh fuh do anything, he get confused and he drink de poison. He drink Gramoxone.”
Hospitalised: Mohan Persaud
Persaud’s wife told this newspaper that at the time of the incident, she was staying at a sister-in-law next door. Nevertheless, the woman joined her daughter in explaining what occurred after the fire ignited. “By the time anybody could do anything, the house done burn down already. They couldn’t save nothing or do nothing. They had to run to save themselves,” the duo highlighted.
Having consumed the poisonous substance, Persaud was rushed to the West Demerara medical institution where he remains in critical condition.
Meanwhile, Police Divisional Commander Leslie James told Guyana Times that based on investigations, Persaud indeed set his home alight. On that note, Police are currently guarding the hospitalised man as he is facing a possible charge of arson.
In light of the gutting of their home of more than 20 years, family members are now forced to seek refuge at relatives nearby.
