Murdered siblings sent off as a bride, groom

Ann Chitbahal had been looking forward to seeing her two children get married in traditional Hindu ceremonies.

But when gunmen stormed into the family’s home and killed both on Thursday last week, Chitbahal had to come to terms with the fact that she would never see that happen.

The grieving 47-year-old mother mother told Newsday that she "sent off" her children, Vishanie, 23, and Vishal, 25, dressed as a Hindu bride and groom.

"I never got a chance to see them get married, so and I sent them off looking nice. I dressed him as if he was going to get married with a turban and everything. I dressed her as an Indian bride, in a lovely garara," Chitbahal said.

The siblings were cremated together in one pyre on Sunday at the Waterloo cremation site after a funeral at the family’s home under Hindu rites.

Chitbahal was making aloo pies and preparing a meal for Vishal, a technician, who was planning to go to work at Bridgson Auto Electrical in Debe that morning.

Vishanie worked as a clerk at S. Ramlogan Sports Centre in Couva.

Chitbahal and her ailing husband Tony, 56, do not have any other children.

At around 5.30 am, gunmen kicked the front door of the family’s modest home at Windsor Park in Couva and entered. They pushed Chitbahal to the floor and, in fright, she screamed out.

Vishanie rushed to help her mother. One gunman asked, "That is she?" and the other responded "Yes." They shot Vishanie in her head killing her instantly.

Vishal came out of his bedroom and the killers shot him in his chest before running off.

He was taken to the Couva Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.

"We cannot get over this. We are trying to cope. Villagers are checking on us. Relatives came and are staying with us. They are keeping us company. We cannot understand why this happened," the mother said.

Tony previously told Newsday that he is a diabetic and has limited mobility. He recently underwent surgery and the siblings were the breadwinners of the home.

Insp Jones, Cpl Bridgemohan of the Homicide Bureau Region III and other police visited the scene.

No one has yet been arrested.