Fearing the worst after finding his son-in-law hanging behind his home, it was a bitter sweet moment for Purnanand Bhim when he opened his daughter's car and found his three-year-old granddaughter clutching her mother's bloodied body yesterday morning.
Despite being stabbed on her neck, face, hands and chest, little Arti Ramkhalawan stared at her grandfather, not crying or even moving from her mother, Aarika Bhim's lap.
According to police, Arti's father, Premnath Ramkhalawan, stabbed her mother to death in the back of her green Nissan Sunny B13 on Sunday night and drove the car to a track approximately 100 metres from their home at Laltoo Trace, Penal.
He then ran to a shed at the back of the house and used a rope and bucket to hang himself.
Police believe Arti was on top of her mother when Ramkhalawan attacked. She was taken to the Siparia District Health Facility where she was treated and later transferred to the San Fernando General Hospital where she remained warded yesterday.
South Western Division police, including Insp Anderson Pariman, Insp Peter Ramdeen, Sgt Irwin Joachim, Sgt Ryan Ramsingh and investigator PC Riad Hosein, processed the scene and found the murder weapon on Ramkhalawan. Investigators said hair and blood were found on the knife.
Aarika, 26, was a manager at Doors and Windows Factory Ltd while Ramkhalawan, 25, was a labourer at the company's branch at Wilson Road, Penal.
Bhim said yesterday when he went to feed his cattle around 6 am yesterday, he found Ramkhalawan hanging from a rafter. As he went to call his wife, Sharda, a neighbour heading to work, stopped and asked why his daughter's car was parked in the bush.
He said it was only when he opened the car door he realised the nightmare that had unfolded.
"When I walked up there, I saw my daughter in the back seat lying and my granddaughter opened her eyes big, watching me.
"I called the ambulance, I held her, I took her out to the ambulance and then she was gone and that was it. I called the police. I saw a lot of blood and nothing else," Bhim said.
All three victims were still wearing their outfits after attending the wedding of Ramkhalawan's brother at St Julien's Village, Princes Town, on Sunday.
Bhim, who underwent a triple bypass heart surgery three years ago, said the three left home around 2 pm and he did not get to see them leave as he was resting. However, his other son-in-law, Brandon Lalbeharry, said he only spoke to Arti right before they left.
"I said Arti, you not carrying me to wedding? All she said was, 'No,'" Lalbeharry said. He said relatives tried to call the couple around 9 pm and again at 11 pm but they did not answer so they assumed that the family would stay across at the brother's home.
Crashed car, the first clue
Resident Shalindra Ramsaran said he and his brother Mohindra were in church in Barrackpore on Sunday night.
He said around 10 pm, Mohindra left in his car to take someone to Digity Trace, Penal, when he saw Ramkhalawan's car stuck in a drain. When he got out, Ramkhalawan asked to be towed.
He said Mohindra saw the woman and child in the back seat and when told to take them out the car, Ramkhalawan replied that they were asleep.
He said Mohindra left without helping as attempting to tow the car would have damaged the wheel. Other passing church members helped Ramkhalawan to remove the car but after learning of the murder, they believe the woman was already dead when they saw the car. Mohindra, who was at the scene yesterday, was interviewed by police.
No big relationship problems
Relatives were in shock as they said the couple were not known to have problems in their five-year relationship that would have led to the tragedy.
Bhim said the couple were planning to build their own house next to his and would have got married next year.
One of Aarika's aunt said Ramkhalawan seemed to be a nice person who took good care of his daughter.
She said Ramkhalawan had asked her to attend the wedding with them but she told him that she had to work. She now believes that had she gone, she would have been able to quell any arguments they might have had.
She added Aarika was married before but her husband died.
