Shops closed for Mala’s funeral

BUSINESS activity in Princes Town went at snail’s pace for most of yesterday, after several businessmen closed their stores for the day to pay their respects at the funeral of Mala Mohammed — murdered wife of prominent Princes Town supermarket proprietor Khalid Mohammed (Uncle Khalid). Hundreds of mourners, including prominent businessmen and attorneys, gathered at Mohammed’s Edward Street, Princes Town home to pay their respects and comfort weeping relatives. The service was so packed that a number of people were forced to stand under a tent in front of the house, and line the pavement on both sides of the road.

A team of police officers, led by Sgt Errol Ramdath, had to regulate the heavy traffic flow. Mohammed’s grieving husband cried and hugged his wife’s niece as he sat next to his wife’s white casket. Relatives consoled him and soaked his head with bay rum. However, members of the print and electronic media were prevented from entering the premises and were forced to stand on the road. Some reporters were rudely and roughly escorted out of the premises and told that relatives did not want any publicity. A man in Muslim garb shouted: “Get out, get out, you want to see how a Muslim man does behave,” and then grabbed a female reporter’s arm and shoved her out of the premises.

After a brief prayer service, cameramen and photographers were blocked by relatives as they attempted to take photos of the body being put in the hearse, which was on the road. Relatives even used the lid of the casket and their hands to shield crying relatives from being photographed. A family member told Newsday that Mohammed, who grew up in a Hindu home, wished to be cremated. However, since the service was held under Muslim rites, she was laid to rest at the Iere Village Cemetery. Meanwhile, investigators are following several leads but are yet to make an arrest in Mohammed’s execution. On Monday, shortly before midnight, Mohammed, 46, was shot dead execution style as she was about to enter her home. No motive has been established for the killing.