Son on hardware store owner's murder: 'Is how it mash you up completely'

The son of murdered hardware-store owner and deliveryman Chandan Ramjit is urging other deliverymen to be extra-vigilant when accepting jobs to certain communities where their lives may be in danger.

Chandan Ramjit, 51, was shot dead while delivering a shipment of cement in Three B's, Caroni, on Monday afternoon.

Speaking with Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Thursday, Ramjit's oldest son, Adesh Ramjit, 25, said while he was still unclear over what ecactly led to his father's murder, he hoped delivery drivers would use their discretion while on the job.

The younger Ramjit, who also works as a technician with delivery workers, says his father was an experienced businessman who knew the risks of the job, and was puzzled as to why he agreed to visit an area he knew could be dangerous.

He said drivers should be wary of accepting deliveries in areas known for crime and said his father advised him to follow his instinct.

"I would say drawing on other people's advice to me and even what my father told me is to just keep my wits about myself.

"If you're getting a gut feeling about certain areas then don't go.

"Be familiar with some of the areas that are hot or deemed as a bad area. Now, not everybody from that area may be bad, but be extra-vigilant going there.

"My father had his senses about him. That's what everybody who was close to him is saying. Nobody understands why he went there, because he knows the area. So everything is really suspicious to us right now."

Ramjit said the circumstances leading up to his father's death were also confusing, as the shipment of cement he intended to deliver was untouched and only his wallet was stolen.

Commenting on the spate of crime and violence, Ramjit said while he understood the authorities could feel overwhelmed over rising murders, he felt it was beyond their control.

"I have no words to say. It doesn't affect you really until it touches home, and when it touches home, is how it mash you up completely."

Police from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region III are continuing enquiries.