HE DIED A HERO

“I am very proud of him. He was very dedicated to his work and pursued it with passion. He died a hero,” Harry Persad, 58, said in an interview at the Forensic Science Centre, St James yesterday, while awaiting the autopsy on his 30-year-old son.

A policeman for nine years, Anil died when bullets fired by gunmen guarding a marijuana field in the Cuche forest, Rio Claro struck him in the right side of his torso between the side straps of his bullet-proof vest. He and a contingent of officers from the Eastern Division Task Force were on a drug-eradication exercise in Rio Claro.

Anil was airlifted out of the forest and succumbed to his injuries at the San Fernando General Hospital. Two gunmen were also killed by the police in the shootout and up to late yesterday their identities were unknown. Police believe the men were from “outside the Rio Claro area.”

Anil’s death in the line of duty is being mourned by family, colleagues, the top brass of the Police Service, even Minister of National Security Brigadier John Sandy, all of whom hailed Anil as an exemplary policeman.

It was just last year that Anil, who was assigned to the Rio Claro Police Station, received commendations for his efforts in firearm interdiction, only to be killed in a gun-battle with criminals.

“I did not expect my son to go (die) like that. Why it could not have been me instead, why?” his father Harry cried, recalling the last time he saw Anil.

Anil lived with Harry and their family at 75 Village Street, San Pedro, Poole, Rio Claro. Harry said his son was due to marry his girlfriend Shoma Ramdeo in July.

“He was going to get married and was currently building his house,” said Harry, who last spoke with Anil on Wednesday.

“He told me he had to work the night (Wednesday) and had court the morning (Thursday). I was not aware that he was going on an exercise like that in the forest. Just before he left he said to me, ‘Daddy I going to work’. That was the last time I heard from him and saw him,” said Harry.

Relatives and friends yesterday remembered Anil as a committed and dedicated officer.

“It’s all he ever wanted to do,” Anil’s younger brother Vishal said in an interview at the family’s home in Rio Claro.

“Since schooldays he used to write in his essays that he wanted to become a policeman and he followed his dream,” said Vishal.

Anil had promised his mother Radica, 50, he would be home for lunch on Thursday, but duty called and he went on the raid in the Cuche forest.

“He took up the evening shift on Wednesday and yesterday (Thursday) he called mom and said he was coming lunch time. Plans changed as he got called to extra duty to go on the exercise, and the type of police officer he was he would not refuse,” said Vishal.

Anil, he said, was a driver on the exercise.

At about 3 pm on Thursday, Anil’s family received a telephone call that he had been injured.

“We heard he had a slight pulse when he arrived at the hospital. He didn’t last very long after,” said Vishal.

Seeta Ramoutar, a cousin who was also at the family home, said Anil was looking forward to his wedding. “He had already bought his suit and other stuff in preparation for the big day,” she said.

Ramoutar held up two awards for excellence which Anil received, including one for the “Most Firearm Interdiction” for 2010.

“Villagers looked up to him and if they wanted advice they never hesitated to ask him. He was always so happy,” she said.

A colleague said Anil was always willing to perform extra duty.

“(Anil) was a man if he was coming off duty and you ask him to work he will stay back and do it without a fuss. He was a real nice person,” said the officer.

Relatives said National Security Minister Brigadier John Sandy, Deputy Commissioner of Police Stephen Williams and Arts and Multiculturalism Minister and Mayaro MP Winston Peters visited Anil’s family on Thursday night.

“They spoke to his mother and father Harry and offered their condolences,” said a relative.

In a Newsday interview on Thursday, hours after the incident, Sandy had expressed his sadness over the death of the young policeman.

Yesterday, he issued an official statement again offering condolences to Anil’s family.

“The death of Constable Persad again brings into focus the debt of gratitude we owe to our uniformed men and women, as they put their lives at risk on a daily basis in the service of our nation. The Government of TT remains committed to ensuring that all acts of lawlessness and criminality are met with firm resolve and severity. We all condemn this heinous act,” said Sandy.

Williams also extended condolences to Persad’s family saying, “It is always sad when we lose one of our own.”

Williams, in a release, said the other officers involved in the exercise are being counselled under the Employee Assistance Programme and Social Workers Unit to help them cope “with this tragic loss.”

Williams confirmed that Anil’s family has been contacted and reassured the Police Service “will support them during this time of grief.”

Anil’s funeral is due to take place tomorrow under military rites.