(Trinidad Guardian) Domestic violence murder victim Anita Bahadur made her last complaint to the San Juan Police Station five days before she was killed, head of the T&T Police Service’s corporate communications, Ellen Lewis, confirmed yesterday.
According to Lewis, Bahadur, 27, told police the suspect went to her work place at Maloney Street, Petit Bourg, on March 15 and made threats against her life to her co-workers.
Bahadur was not at work at the time of the alleged threats. In Bahadur’s report, she provided a description of the suspect and a photograph but could not provide a fixed address.
She, however, notified police the suspect was known to frequent an empty lot of land just off Hollis Street, Petit Bourg.
On the same day of the report (March 16), the police went in search of the suspect but did not find him.
Details of her last report to police were also confirmed by one of Bahadur’s co-workers, who wished not to be named. The co-worker said the suspect came to their workplace last Thursday and again on Saturday and lurked around the building until Bahadur’s shift ended.
The co-worker said when she first realised that suspect was outside the bar and restaurant, Bahadur went out and spoke to him behind a locked gate, where she again begged him to leave her alone. It was then that the suspect threatened to kill her, the co-worker said.
“He had even tell the boss on one occasion that he would kill her. Anita, for years, lived in fear of this man and she went to the station last Friday and Monday this week to make a report against the man and begged the police to do something to protect her,” Bahadur’s co-worker said.
Bahadur’s eldest sister, who also wished not to be named or photographed, said her sister was the fourth of 11 children. She said for years her sister ran and hid for her safety from the suspect. Bahadur, a mother of four, was originally from Lyons Drive, Orange Field Road, Carapichaima.“From Princes Town to Arima to Felicity to Aranjuez… she was always on the run to get away from him. No matter how many reports she made to the police, the police always told her that is either they can’t find him or they can’t stay there and monitor her, although she would beg and cry to them to help her in any way that they can.
“I was there too with her many times and can point out officers who would say that or say that she and him will work things out, that they can’t get too much involved,” Bahadur’s sister said.
Brother-in-law: She was scarred for life from attacks
Anita Bahadur’s brother-in-law, Clifford Rollins Jr, expressed his anger over the situation.
“We gave police photos of the suspect and also photos with the marks and scars she would get. They have everything. We made several reports at the Chaguanas, Tunapuna and San Juan Police Stations over the years. One time we even begged for her to be placed in a protection programme and was told by the police that it could not have been done just like that. Anita was willing too go too because she was fearful for her life,” Rollins said.
Rollins added that last Thursday the suspect came out of prison after serving about three months and even called her from within the prison walls and threatened her.
The suspect, according to Rollins, was arrested by officers of the Child’s Protection Unit, who had acted on reports made by Bahadur.
The unit is said to have three of Bahadur’s children in their care given the nature of Bahadur’s reports.
“My wife (Bahadur’s sister) was forced to call the Prisons Service and tell the officer in charge of the calls that Anita was getting from the suspect and still nothing was done,” Rollins said.Bahadur’s sister also cleared the air on monies owed to the suspect.
“He may have said that in public to make people around him feel that she owed him money and a gold chain but she did not. In fact, I have receipts to prove that I have been sending her money to pay her rent. He never gave her money because he never worked. She was the one always working and I would help out too.
“She only had a silver chain with a small silver heart pendant. She never had any kind of assets.”Bahadur’s sister said she will always remember her sister as a loving, caring and kind person.
“She loved her children and was a dedicated and hard-working mother. She leaves all her children now from three years to nine years old. So sad.”Bahadur was stabbed in the left side of the chest while at the Croisee in San Juan around 2.30 pm on Wednesday.
The suspect, who attempted to run away, was chased by onlookers, held and beaten. He was then handed over to officers of the San Juan Police Station.
Both acting Deputy Police Commissioners Harold Phillip and Deodat Dulalchan have called on officers from the San Juan station for a detailed report.
