‘Guards’ rampage on limers in Central

A security firm is being investigated by police after 15 security guards reportedly beat at least seven residents of Basta Hall, central Trinidad. The victims were also  stabbed and chopped. Two residents Dharmindra Ramsamooj, 42, and Hansraj Soogrim, 36, remain warded at the San Fernando General Hospital. Ramsamooj suffered a punctured lung and three stab wounds to the head and chest. Soogrim suffered a broken leg, 12 stab wounds about the body and a chop to the head. Five other villagers including Jitindra Ramsamooj, Vijai Beetam, 32, Radesh Samaroo, 34, Anil Soogrim and Devanand Bridgelal, suffered multiple chops, stabs and blows about their bodies.

Rajkapoor Bridgelal said the security guards abused their authority by beating the villagers mercilessly around 11 pm last Friday. Bridgelal said the villagers attended the opening of his recreation club. He said a fight broke out between the guards and Beetam. In an interview, Beetam, aka ‘Pushkie’ said the guards accosted him and accused him of having drugs in his possession. “They began pushing me and searching me. I had no drugs and then they started to beat me,” Beetam recalled. Some villagers who witnessed the beating, jumped into the fracas in a desperate bid to save Beetam.

Jitindra Ramsamooj said Beetam was bleeding and groaning in pain. “My brother (Dharmindra) and I were coming down the road and we saw them beating Pushkie. We told them to leave him alone and then the guards pulled out knives and cutlasses and began beating everybody from a side,” Jitindra revealed. He added that the guards dragged Beetam away and slammed him against a railing across the road. Samaroo said the guards also whipped out batons and began beating everyone who stood in the vicinity. After the beating, villagers alleged that the security guards went to another recreation club at Milton, Couva, and began raining stones and glass bottles at the home of businessman Jerry Samaiah. They also broke the windscreen of Samaiah’s Nissan Wingroad vehicle.

Residents said they called the Couva Police Station but officers advised them to give their statements on the phone. Residents have since called for an investigation into the security firm which has since closed up operations. Officers at the Couva Police Station yesterday denied that they had refused to take proper statements from the residents. The officers said an investigation had been launched into the operations of the security company.