Police: Man takes tablet then chops friend

A 20-year-old man faces an attempted murder charge for chopping his 17-year-old friend on Wednesday after taking a "mood-changing drug" which police believe caused him to hallucinate.

The victim, Alejandro Forgenie, was up to press time at the San Fernando General Hospital with wounds to his neck and head.

Police said the suspect, victim and other people were playing a game of cards at Guapo Road near the Fyzabad police station at about 3 am when the incident happened. The suspect took a tablet, began hallucinating and chopped Forgenie with a cutlass.

The card players managed to restrain the suspect and contacted the police. During the melee, the suspect also received injuries.

Both were taken to the Siparia District Health Facility and Forgenie was transferred to the hospital.

Once charged, the suspect would appear before a Siparia magistrate.

In an unrelated incident, Barrackpore police are investigating the death of 55-year-old Latchman Deonanan who was attacked and stung by wasps mid-morning Wednesday. Police said the attack happened near his home at Ramlal Avenue. During the attack, he ran home and a relative later found him unresponsive. Police learnt that Deonanan was allergic to the insects.

Cpl Nanan is leading the investigation.