A bandit was shot dead and his accomplice escaped with a gunshot wound early on New Year's morning after police responded promptly and caught the duo red handed at a Stewartville, West Demerara home.

Dead is Kayam Imran, 29, a cane-cutter of the same village, who tried to run after he was shot, but collapsed and died in the yard of the house at Lot 42 Stewartville Housing Scheme.

The family lost $20,000 in cash, a watch and over $80,000 in gold jewellery that they were wearing at the time after the men, one masked, attacked them with a gun and a knife as well as a cutlass from the home.

A family member panicked after seeing the bandits and immediately turned off the music that was playing for their Old Year's Night get-together. But the bandits demanded that she put it on louder, hoping to prevent neighbours from hearing what was going on. This actually resulted in them being caught, as they were unable to hear when the police arrived.

Angad Samaroo said he was in the backyard at about 1 am, when the two bandits grabbed him, covered his mouth, tied his hands and feet and removed his watch and a gold band. They then beat him and dragged him through the mud into the house and ordered everyone to lie flat on the floor. They demanded that Angad show them where the money and jewellery was kept. But after telling them that he no longer lived there, they asked for Anil, his "brother with the plenty gold teeth".

According to Anil, a cane-cutter, the men cuffed him in the face and took off his gold chain. They then ransacked the house but apparently did not get what they were looking for and started to curse and wrench off the three rings, a band and a pair of earrings Anil's widowed mother, Sheila Samaroo was wearing. Sheila has been attacked two times by bandits in recent years.

While this was going on a nearby relative of the family had called the Leonora police station and a squad arrived in a car and a van only a few minutes later. The ranks ran into the house and opened fire while the family lay on the floor. Imran, after being hit, ran outside but collapsed not far away. The other bandit, who relatives said was injured, ran off into the backyard but the police could not follow him because they did not have a flashlight. Instead they picked up the body of Imran, put him in the van and drove off. A police press release confirmed the incident and said a 12-gauge shotgun with one cartridge was found in the dead bandit's possession. " He was dressed in a camouflage suit, black mask and a pair of red gloves. A bag with clothing was found next to him."

The police also said they were continuing their search for the other bandit.

When Stabroek News arrived at Kayam's house, a small tent had already been set up for the wake and relatives had gathered to console his mother. She said she got the news at about 8 am New Year's Day from the police. The distraught woman said she felt terrible because after all, whether he was bad or good, Imran was still her son.