Penal murder victim's family grateful for 'overwhelming' support

THE gruesome murder of 25-year-old Reshma Kanchan has not only emotionally moved people in TT, but internationally. Her family said the support has been overwhelming.

Kanchan was chopped her on her way to work in Penal on Tuesday morning after being ambushed by a male relative. A fatal blow with a cutlass almost severed the head of the mother of two.

The suspect blocked her path using his car, returned to the driver’s seat and drove a few feet before crashing into an iron bin. Residents found him with apparent self-inflicted injuries to his neck, smoking a cigarette. The Siparia electrician was hospitalised under police guard up to Tuesday evening.

The two separated five months ago. Relatives said she had been a domestic violence victim since she married five years ago.

Kanchan lived at Laltoo Trace in Penal, with her two daughters, five and two, her 50-year-old mother, Davica Kanchan, and other relatives.

Speaking with Newsday on Wednesday morning, her sister Beena Kanchan said the family is trying their best to cope. She said her mother is “coming along” and doing “much better than Tuesday.

"We haven’t gotten any updates from police so far. But my mom went to the hospital to see if they could get the death certificate.”

She said many have reached out to show support, which she is grateful for. “People from Florida have been reaching out to me since yesterday, and other places. They are all saying they want to help and that they’re trying to spread the news worldwide.

“My family came and helped out and would have supported us right through.” She said the family members of the suspect are yet to contact her family. “I would like to talk to them personally because since they were married, we kept trying to talk to them to send the man to counselling and stuff. If they had listened to us, maybe none of this would have happened.

“If they come and show their face, we would know they’re feeling a little guilty. But my mom – she don’t want them anywhere around.” She said some people have suggested counselling for the victim’s children.

“They are still asking for her and crying for her. The big one understand but the little one was still being breastfed so she is still asking for my mother saying she wants tea, wants milk. We have to explain to her every day that mummy is not coming back.”

Reshma was a part-time URP worker at a primary school.