Woman forced to drink poison

SIRIDATH NARINEDATH, a 59-year-old Cunupia pundit yesterday hanged himself from the rafter at the back of his home, after reportedly tying up a store clerk on New Year’s Day and forcing her to drink a deadly weedicide. Up until late yesterday, Dianne Seepersad, an employee of Priya’s Creation in Tunapuna was fighting for her life at ward 34 of the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. The suicide and attempted murder caused a stir in the usually quiet agricultural village of Las Lomas Number One in Central Trinidad. The 27-year-old woman, on the way to the hospital, told officers of the Cunupia Police Station that on New Year’s Day, the pundit  tied her to a chair with pieces of curtain.

The woman, according to police, said  that she was then forced to drink Lanate, a weedicide, by the pundit, who then went to the back of his house. Seepersad, formerly of Man-zanilla, was found frothing and tied to the chair on Saturday afternoon by officers of the Cunupia Police and Kamaldaye Narinedath, the pundit’s wife. After a check was made, the pundit, a father of two, was found hanging from a rafter at the back of his house. His body was removed to the Port-of-Spain Mortuary while Seepersad was rushed to the Chaguanas Health Centre and transferred to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Police investigators told Newsday that based on their information, Narinedath, who was employed as a labourer at the San Juan Regional Corporation, became depressed recently. Reports revealed that on Saturday morning, Narinedath and his wife, Kamaldaye, who have been married for the past 36 years had an argument at their home. Kamaldaye left her home and went to the Munroe Road, Cunupia home of her sister. During the day, police said Kamaldaye received several telephone calls from Siridath asking her to return home or he would end his life. Kamaldaye told the police that her husband continued calling her and asking her to return home. At around 4.30 pm, when she realised that the threats were serious, she along with a male relative went to the house at Narinedath Trace but the house appeared to be locked.

Kamaldaye, using a cell phone, then contacted officers of the Cunupia Police Station. When they went to the house,  Seepersad was found tied to a chair and frothing from the mouth. The body of the pundit was found hanging from the rafter. When approached, Narinedath refused to be interviewed. A team of officers led by Ag Sgt Danny Ramlogan carried out a search for the remnants of the Lanate, but none was found. Seepersad was unaware that Narinedath had committed suicide and begged the police not to arrest him. At the Port-of-Spain General Hospital, she was eventually told that the pundit had died.

Narinedath was the son of deceased pundit Indarjit Narinedath Maharaj. Residents of Las Lomas claimed that he was not well liked in the area and planted fields of pumpkin in his spare time. Even relatives of the dead man said that he did not share a close relationship with them. The funeral for the pundit will take place tomorrow, followed by a cremation on the banks of the Caroni River. An autopsy will be carried out today at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. Police are expected to secure a statement from Seepersad today.