Overcome with grief after police killed her abusive husband, Tara Ramdial yesterday begged God to forgive her, saying her three children were now fatherless because she made an error in trusting the police. Ramdial's husband Kamal Krishna Ramdial, 49, was shot four times to the chest, after police responded to a domestic dispute between the couple, shortly after 3 am yesterday. Investigators said Ramdial attacked them with a cutlass, after which they fired upon him.
But his grieving wife said this was not true as there were no cutlasses in the house when the police arrived. Kamal , a truck driver employed with E-Z con Contractors died at the Couva District Hospital, but his family, including Tara accused the officers of using excessive force. In an interview at her Lucky Lane, Milton Road, Couva, home yesterday, Ramdial gazed upon the tear-streaked faces of her children-Brian, 14, Samantha, 16, and Ryan, eight-and said she never should have trusted the police.
She said officers had promised her that they would speak to Ramdial about his conduct, but she never expected that they would shoot him. She said the problems started last year when she began accusing him of infidelity. She said Ramdial moved into another bedroom and she decided to get a job to support her children. Because of ongoing abuse, Ramdial said she took out a restraining order against Ramdial and it was served to him on Sunday morning by the police, who saw him at a nearby grocery.
Incensed by the restraining order, Ramdial said Kamal came home in a rage and began looking for Ramdial, but she went to hide at her sister-in-law's home, located next door. She said Kamal began terrorising the children by demanding to know where she was. However, they refused to tell him. In desperation, Ramdial said she called the police. Her children also left the house and went to hide at their aunt's home.
When officers arrived, Kamal had already left the house. Samantha said he went to a friend's home to "chill his head." Around 3 am, Kamal returned home and Ramdial said she called the police thinking that they would counsel him. Couva police are continuing investigations.