MOURNING THEIR LOSS: Mohan Singh's mother Bhagpattie, left, his wife Bhagmanie and their adopted daughter Anniza. (Corwin Williams photo)

Islanders said this was the first time someone was murdered by bandits on Leguan and so the events of Sunday evening will not be easily forgotten.

Dead is Mohan Singh, 38, of the village of Maryville. He was known around the mainly agricultural island by the nickname `Padoca'. Among so many others, he leaves to mourn his beloved wife of 18 years Bhagmanie, 36.

Singh and two other villagers were at a camp on the island, just off the river, keeping watch on passenger speedboats when they were attacked by a gang. He was shot at close range in his left eye, witnesses said.

Watch camps are spread around the 18-square mile island to guard speedboats owned and operated as passenger craft by islanders.

The gang of about seven men first attacked five young watchmen at one of the camps at Maryville.

Mr. Davenand Goodridge was one of the men on duty. He said that at around 22:45 hrs, the armed men pulled up in a boat and demanded that they lie on the ground, face down. He said the men tied their hands with rope and ordered them into one of the speedboats they were keeping watch on from the camp.

They were told to lie down with one of the gunmen hovering over them with " a big gun", he said.

A robust Singh reportedly wrestled with one of the bandits and it was during the scuffle that he was shot point blank in his left eye.

The other two guards escaped unharmed. One of the guards reportedly told the gunmen to take everything they had and the bandits did just that.

They stripped the guards of the jewellery they were wearing and the money they had in their pockets, and took away a boat engine.

Singh was normally paid on Sunday afternoon when he clocked in for duty and so would have had his week's wages to take home the next morning.

After murdering Singh, the gang hurried back to the first camp, stole another engine and fled in the boat they had sneaked up in.

The gunshots awakened most islanders but there was nothing they could do. Leguan has a population of about 5,000, most of them farmers.

Islanders said they are defenceless in the face of such attacks as few have firearms.

"The only thing we have to defend ourselves is firewood", a resident declared.

Singh had only started working as a watchman in January this year to supplement his income as a labourer on one of the many rice fields on the island, relatives said.

His widow, Bhagmanie, was awakened by her sister-in-law with the news that he had been shot. In deep shock, Bhagmanie said she was hardly able to keep walking as she hurried to the camp.

News of his death came her way before she reached the camp.

However, Bhagmanie said the Police prevented her from getting near to her husband's body and she did not see him until around 09:00 hrs yesterday when she was called to the camp.

Residents said Police on the island explained that they had to await investigative ranks from the Essequibo Coast to arrive.

"They lef he in all the blood. He bleed so much that you couldn't know wah colour clothes he had on", the widow said.

The other guards who were attacked, some bruised about their bodies from the blows by the gunmen, spent hours at the station answering questions from the Police.

Singh was known for his humility and his death has shocked the entire island. The male residents were yesterday talking about forming active community policing groups to defend themselves.

Singh's mother, Bhagpattie, 68, is struggling to come to grips with the loss of her son. She recalled that her husband died when all her children were still young and she "punished" to bring them up.

The woman said her son did not fail to "be attentive" to her.

"He was always courteous to everybody, young and old", she said.

"He was a poor man hustling for his daily bread", she wept.

The couple remained childless throughout their 18 years of marriage.

"We had no children so we were very close. It was just the two of us and we always lived good", Bhagmanie related at their humble home.

A smile lit up her face, but it quickly faded when she related that Singh had planned to build a "better" house.

She said Singh didn't smoke and used alcohol once in a while.

"The last time e' drink was his birthday", Bhagmanie said. That was on April 22nd.

Nearby resident, 16 year-old Anniza Rafeek was like an adopted daughter to the Singhs. She was regular at their home and even spent many nights there.

The Singhs thought of her as their daughter and Anniza had come to accept the relationship. But now the father figure is gone.

"He was like a father", was all she could manage without causing tears to flow.

All the islanders the Chronicle spoke with agreed that Singh was a nice man, and joked that he was probably the "biggest" man on the island.