The lifeless body of 59-nine-year-old businessman Parbhudyal “Cecil” Persaud, called ‘Konkie,’ was discovered by his wife lying in a pool of his own blood at the back of their home at 83 Collingwood Avenue, Nandy Park, East Bank Demerara at about 06:00h on Sunday, when she opened the door to begin the day’s activities.
The devastated woman raised an alarm, and the police were summoned. There was evidence of a gunshot wound to the head, suspected to have been inflicted by the man placing the still cocked .32 Taurus pistol in his mouth and pulling the trigger. A spent shell of similar calibre was found near Persaud’s body, while 8 rounds of matching ammunition were found in the magazine and one was in the breach. The pistol was jointly registered in the names of the now dead man and his 29-year-old son.
Police reports indicate that Persaud may have taken the decision to end his life between 12:00h on Saturday and 06:00h on Sunday. His body is presently at the Lyken Funeral Parlour, awaiting a post-mortem.
INews understands that, at about 10:00h on Saturday, Persaud had requested that his wife leave the home and not return alone. The unsuspecting woman accordingly left to join her son at the family’s sawmill at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke/Linden Highway. When the duo returned home at about 19:00h, Persaud was nowhere to be seen. Thus, having unsuccessfully contacted relatives in hope of reaching the man, his wife and son duly retired to bed; only to make the ghastly discovery of his dead body the following morning.
According to family members, Persaud had been embroiled in a financial crisis for over a year, and had gone into depression; even making known on numerous occasions his intention to end his life.
“He has a sawmill up the (Linden/Soesdyke) Highway, and about a year-and-half-ago he encountered some financial problems and he was very depressed… He said before that he would have committed suicide; and when his wife discovered (his body) this morning, it looked like he (had) shot himself,” the relative related.
Persaud had allegedly suffered a mental breakdown some three years ago, and had been a patient at the Fort Canje Hospital’s Psychiatric Clinic in Berbice. His next doctor’s appointment was scheduled for Wednesday.
He leaves to mourn his wife, four children and six grandchildren, among other relatives and friends.
