Tears flowed down the faces of Point Fortin residents yesterday as the news spread that popular businessman Vishnu Singh had died after being shot by a lone robber.
Singh, 55, of Reid Road Extension succumbed to his injuries around 5 pm on Saturday, six hours after he was shot twice in the lower abdomen while standing in the yard of his businessplace. The gunman escaped without taking anything.
Police said Singh, who was fondly known as Lalee, was conducting business at his store named Hardware Supplies when the gunman accosted him. Singh shouted for help but the gunman fired two shots in Singh’s direction hitting him. The assailant escaped as Singh fell to the ground bleeding.
He was rushed to the Point Fortin area hospital where he died. Investigators said Singh supplied residents with kerosene, gasoline and hardware supplies.
He also fixed weed wackers and gave free training to people in Point Fortin. Described as a generous man who had touched the lives of many, residents said they were broken-hearted to learn that Singh had passed.
His neighbour, Kennedy Harriman, said, “He was a man who helped everybody. He used to fix people wackers for free if they could not afford it. He never trouble anybody. He was a quiet man. He never drink, smoke or lime.”
Harriman said Singh was robbed three times in the past but this never deterred him from operating business. “He was not one to fight back but he was never afraid of anybody. We still in shock that he died,” Harriman said.
Another of his friends who requested anonymity said he was the only one who supplied the community with gas and kerosene. “Where we going to get pitch oil now? When we have no lights. He used to give us pitch oil for free,” the man cried. Singh’s uncle Sookram Ramnarine said he single-handedly took care of his two nephew—Ramesh and Suresh Mahabir—both mentally challenged.
“He was so quiet. He built this businessplace from scratch. He worked hard every day and he was an honest man,” Mahabir said quietly. Singh’s nephew Ricardo Ramsaran said crime was getting out of hand. Saying his uncle did not own much and was not very wealthy, Ramsaran said criminals were becoming more desperate each day.
“Police told us that this weekend there were many robberies and hold ups in Point Fortin. It is sad that the gun man killed him. Such a sad loss of life,” Ramsaran said. He noted that Singh never advertised his business and worked hard to help his fellowmen, yet his life was snuffed out in a horrible way.
An autopsy will be done on Singh’s body today at the Forensic Science Centre. Homicide officers are continuing investigations.