Intoxicated man sets Canje house alight

A house owned by a Canadian citizen that was occupied by a 28-year-old woman was on Tuesday night set on fire by her intoxicated expartner. Reports suggest that Rangita Bhagwandin, the house sitter, had separated from the suspected arsonist, who has been identified as Davendra Samaroo, in August after an argument. Samaroo, it was revealed, moved out and Bhagwandin remained at the Lot 35 Ragubir Street, Reliance Abandon Village, East Canje, Berbice, home.

According to information released by police, at around 16:00hrs Tuesday, Bhagwandin secured the house and left to visit a friend. It was established that Samaroo, who had been imbibing, showed up at the house around 22:00hrs in an intoxicated state and broke into the house. It was shortly after that neighbours saw smoke emanating from the house and they immediately contacted the Fire Department and police. When law enforcement ranks arrived, the suspect was seen running out of the house. He was subsequently caught and taken into custody. The structure, which had an estimated value of $10M, was destroyed despite the valiant efforts of fight fighters. According to residents, Bhagwandin lived at the house with her daughter after separating from Samaroo. They claimed that they saw Samaroo when he showed up at the house in an intoxicated state. He had a cutlass in hand, they said. They said too when he entered the house, he was cursing and soon after started breaking up things. This, they said, prompted them to call the police. One resident said that police ranks showed up at the scene on foot, but the suspect charged towards them with his cutlass. The ranks, it was revealed, had to run to the station for back-up but by the time they returned, the house was on fire.

(Kaieteur News)