Penal man killed during family feud

AN ON-GOING feud between two Penal families escalated into violence on Sunday night, leaving one man dead and two others in  serious condition. Ricky Thackoordial, 22, a self-employed fabricator of  Rochard Road in Barrackpore, was stabbed six times in the chest. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Fernando General Hospital. He was the 92nd person murdered for the year. Thackoordial’s friend, Ryan Taransingh, 21, of Barrackpore, was also stabbed in the chest, while a 34-year-old labourer of Mohess Road Extension, Penal, was chopped on the head. They are both warded in  serious condition.

Police investigators told Newsday they had received conflicting reports about the killing and, up to late yesterday, were still not clear about what had actually transpired. Thackoordial reportedly went to visit his father, Basdeo, at Mohess Road Extension, when the incident occurred at 11 pm. Investigators said they received a report that Thackoordial and Taransingh were driving out of Mohess Road Extension, when a group of men rolled a barrel in front of the car. The men then began hitting the car with bottles and cutlasses. Thackoordial was subsequently dragged out of the car and dealt several stabs to his chest.

On seeing this, Taransingh came out of the vehicle and tried to assist  his friend, but he was also stabbed about his upper body. The report stated that one of the attackers was accidentally chopped on his head during the fracas. The other report police received stated that a 34-year-old labourer was dragged out of his yard by Thackoordial and a group of men. The labourer was beaten and chopped on his head. On hearing his screams, the labourer’s relatives ran to his assistance and began fighting off the men. The report stated that it was during the fight that Thackoordial was fatally stabbed.

When Newsday visited Thackoordial’s home yesterday, his uncle Errol Lionel said he was told that the incident stemmed from an argument between Thackoordial’s brother and a neighbour. He said Thackoordial went to drop off workers in that area, when he was attacked and killed by a group of men. Describing Thackoordial as a hard-working person, he said: “He was not a person who use to get himself in trouble. He never use to lime and drink,” he added. Visiting the scene was a party of officers from the Penal and Barrackpore Police Stations led by ASP Mohammed, ASP Valdez and Sgt Ali. Police interviewed several persons and were up to late yesterday questioning three men. An autopsy was expected to be performed on Thackoordial’s body at the Forensic Science Centre in St James yesterday. Barrackpore police are continuing investigations.