Senior Multimedia Reporter
radhica.sookraj@guardian.co.tt
Relatives and neighbours of Ramsaran Kowlessar, who was found dead in a cell at the Eastern Correctional Rehabilitation Centre, said he had threatened on several occasions to set fire to the home of his sister-in-law, Sharon Bahadoor, in Mafeking Village, Mayaro.
They said Kowlessar blamed the Bahadoors for the death of his wife, Shanti, who committed suicide in 2017.
Sharon’s son, Amit, said his uncle became mentally unstable after his wife’s death and began dabbling in the occult.
“He had the devil on him. We used to be afraid to leave my mother at home alone because he would sit under the house and watch her. He wanted her dead,” Amit said.
He said on the night of the fire, he saved Kowlessar’s life when he attempted suicide after setting the fire.
“I pulled him out of the fire and I told him, ‘No, you not dying here tonight’,” he recalled.
Sharon made numerous reports of death threats to the police and eventually took out a protection order against Kowlessar which expired in April. An interim order was granted and the hearing was expected to be held soon.
Recalling the night of the arson, Amit said his sister, Anisha Bahadoor, 34, woke up to see Kowlessar by the window. She took a photo of him but did not expect him to douse her with fuel and throw firebombs inside the house.
Anisha, who suffered extensive burns to her legs in the arson attack, is expected to undergo surgery soon. Her two children, ages nine and four, escaped the fire along with her mother Sharon, 52, father Peter, 71, Amit, 33, Avinash, 37, sister Anusha and her nine-month-old baby.
Now that Kowlessar is dead, Amit said everyone felt sorry for his two children, Sandy and Randy, who have now lost both parents to suicide. Amit said he hoped the family could heal and move on from the tragedy.
A close friend of Kowlessar said he often spoke about murdering the Bahadoor family.
“For six years since his wife died, he has been living in torment. He always said his sister-in-law was the cause of him losing his wife,” said the friend, who did not want to be identified.
Recalling their happier times, the friend said Kowlessar was a fisherman.
“We used to drink together, make cook and go on excursions but then when Shanti died, the other family used to accuse him of causing her to die and he could not handle that,” the friend said.
Admitting that Kowlessar used to verbally abuse his neighbours, the friend added: “I tried to talk to him many times but then he started to cuss me too so I just left him alone. I stopped going there.”
Kowlessar was charged with eight counts of attempted murder and one count of arson for setting fire to the family’s home on November 13. He was denied bail when he appeared virtually before Mayaro Magistrate Debby Ann Bassaw and was placed on a suicide watch after being taken to prison.
Around 1.45 p yesterday, Kowlessar was found with a weak pulse. He was taken to the Arima District Hospital where he was pronounced dead.