For the second time in weeks, businessman Rajesh Heeralal survived an attack against his life when his killer’s gun jammed after the first three shots on Thursday.
Investigators are probing the theory that Heeralal, 33, of Chaguanas, a chemical engineer who manufactures his own detergents, may have hit on his head which was put out by a competitor.
While police continued to search for Heeralal’s attacker yesterday, it was suspected he was a hired hitman.
According to a report, Heeralal and a worker were carrying out sales outside the Cherish Supermarket along Latchoos Road, Penal, at the time of the attack. While offloading liquid detergent from a truck, a man walked up, pulled out a gun that was hidden in his pants and fired three shots at close range. Heeralal was hit on his thigh, forearm and shoulder, but as the gunman attempted to deliver the kill shot the gun jammed. Surveillance footage showed that when the gun jammed the gunman ran off, although still attempting to fire more shots.
Penal police responded to a report of the shooting and Heeralal was taken to the Penal Health Centre where he was treated and transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital. Police said he remained there in a stable condition up to last night.
The gunman was able to get away but police were able to get a description of him through the CCTV footage. The gunman wore a blue jacket, blue three-quarter denim pants, a pair of slippers, a black cap and a pair of sunglasses.
In March, Heeralal was in Bamboo Settlement, Valsayn, when a gunman also attempted to shoot him. Heeralal got away on that occasion. The attacker then was dressed similarly to the gunman in yesterday’s attack.