Shot
mother-to-be kicks armed bandit
-- intruder opens fire on couple in their bed
by Shirley
Thomas
 PREGNANT Sonia Ragbar, who was shot in the left side of her ribcage. With her is their three-year-old son who was unhurt. |
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He, along with
three others attempted to force their way into the home of the Yarrowdam couple,
Doodnauth Ragbar (also called 'Netting Man') and his wife Sonia Ragbar, around
04:00 hrs, while they were yet asleep.
The bandit
discharged five rounds, hitting them both in their bed. Fortunately, their
three-year-old son, who slept in the bed with them, was unharmed.
Doodnauth
Ragbar, a popular wholesaler of bed nettings, sustained two bullet wounds to his
right thigh, while his pregnant wife, Sonia, suffered a bullet would in the left
ribcage. The bullet reportedly exited her body.
The
29-year-old woman, who is four months pregnant, scuffled with the intruder until
he fell off her windowsill and onto the concrete yard about 10 feet
below.
 DOODNAUTH Ragbar: shot twice in bed by bandits yesterday morning. |
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Two of the men
crept up under the couple's bedroom window. Their bed is situated just under the
window that the bandits attempted to enter.
Because of a
blackout, which began around 02:25 hrs, the Ragbars had the window open in order
to allow some breeze into the bedroom.
Sonia
recounted that she was awakened by the sound of her husband pleading, "No,
no!"
On opening her
eyes she saw a man standing on the windowsill. The intruder was pointing a gun
at them, while attempting to squeeze himself through the top half of the window
frame, she said.
She said that
the bandit threatened to shoot her husband if he did not shut up.
"Ah gun shut
you up first," he snarled to the pleading Doodnauth.
Sonia said
that at that point, she forgot her pregnant condition and became intent on
dislodging the bandit from the windowsill.
Since their
bed was almost level with the windowsill, she began kicking the man
violently.
Surprised at
the counterattack, the bandit then discharged about five rounds, hitting them
both.
But even as
her husband writhed in pain from the bullets to his thigh, Sonia said she
snatched up an electric fan, which was next to the bed, and was about to deal
the intruder a blow with it, when he either fell or jumped off the
windowsill.
By then, other
members of the household, as well as neighbours, were awakened by the commotion
and had raised an alarm.
The windowsill
intruder and three of his comrades in crime then left the scene, but not before
vowing to return to the Ragbars' house.
Relatives of
the Ragbars went across to the Ruimveldt Police Station (just across the public
road) in an attempt to report the matter.
However, they
claimed that they found the gate, doors and windows of the station all locked
up.
The relatives
even called out, "Thief pon de dam!" but said they got no reply.
They said they
later dialled 911, but it kept ringing out.
The Ragbars
were taken to hospital where they were treated and discharged.
Relatives, who
came from as far away as the East Coast Demerara, Sophia and the Soesdyke-Linden
Highway, said they arrived on the scene before the Police.
The Police reportedly visited the couple while they were being treated at the hospital, but did not turn up at their home until around 10:00 hrs.