Thirteen days after he was beaten unconscious, doused with gasoline and set on fire, 40-year-old Anil Kowlessar succumbed to his injuries on Saturday while warded in the Intensive Care Unit of the San Fernando General Hospital.
A suspect is currently assisting police in their investigations.
A police report stated that shortly before midnight on November 12 while at Boissiere Trace in Gran Couva, Kowlessar and the suspect, who is a cousin, had an argument which escalated into a fight.
Kowlessar was badly beaten and slammed into a wall, which left him unconscious.
While on the ground, the suspect doused him with gasoline and lit him on fire. Other relatives extinguished the fire and took him to hospital, where he was warded for first-degree burns.
Speaking at her home in Balmain, Couva, yesterday, Kowlessar’s mother, Angela, who could not hold back her tears, said they were at a family birthday celebration when the incident occurred.
She said the two were arguing over a van that was allegedly loaned to Kowlessar by the suspect.
“I was sleeping when I was awakened and told that my big son was killed. I say no, allyuh don’t know what allyuh saying? Is when the man come up, take out a gas container and a cutlass, he telling me he now kill my big son,” Angela said as she broke down in tears.
“Christmas coming up and Anil not here. He was the life of the party. He would come and hug everybody and make sure everybody ok. He was such a nice child and grew up to be a nice man,” she added.
Angela said on Saturday morning, close relatives were called to the hospital to visit Kowlessar as he was not doing well. He died at 4.45 pm.
At the house in Gran Couva where Kowlessar lived, a woman claimed Kowlessar’s girlfriend had moved out and said she was unsure about her whereabouts.
A woman also allegedly sent threats via cell phone to Kowlessar’s attacker when he requested that he return the van.
Police sources said investigators are now waiting on the results of an autopsy to be conducted at the Forensic Science Centre soon.
