Businessman stabbed

A CONFRONTATION between two businessmen over the placing of poison for ants at the premises ended in violence yesterday when one of the businessmen stabbed the other in his neck with a broken bottle.  

Police said Tony Sukhbir, 34, was stabbed by a 25-year-old man on the premises where both men are tenants. A bleeding Sukhbir was rushed to the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) where he underwent emergency surgery. Police detained the suspect at the scene and up to late yesterday were  preparing to press charges against him. According to police sources, the incident occurred around 1 pm when Sukhbir and his wife, Seeta, were conducting sales at their businessplace — Tony’s Drug Mart — at Naparima/Mayaro Road, Cocoyea Village.

A shaken Seeta later reported to police that she had placed a quantity of poison in front of the Drug Mart to control and/or kill the pests. Shortly after placing the poison, she noticed the suspect washing it away with a hose. When she confronted the man and asked him why he was washing away the poison she had just placed on the premises, a heated argument ensued. Her husband intervened and the suspect began using obscene language. Witnesses told police that during the argument, the suspect smashed a bottle on a staircase and lunged at Sukhbir, stabbing him in the neck. Still reeling from shock, Seeta told police she saw blood spurting from the wound in her husband’s neck and that she put her hand over the wound to try to stem the blood flow. Meanwhile, other persons called the police. Sukhbir was reportedly resting in stable condition warded at SFGH. Cpl Mohammed and PC Singh of the Mon Repos Police are continuing investigations.