Reshad, aged 56, residing in a suburb of (Port-Louis) and father of three children, is a taxi driver for over 35 years. On Tuesday at around 2pm, while he was at Farquhar Street, near the Central Market, a man wearing a cap approached him. “He told me to take him to Sainte-Croix to pick up his daughter and then drop them at Cassis,” he said. Reshad told the man that this trip would cost Rs400, which he accepted. Reshad said that the passenger indicated the way up to the shrine of Father Laval at Sainte-Croix, where he asked him to borrow a lane and keep going on a road leading to Le-Hochet. “He asked me to park my car in front of a house. He got out of the car and told me to open the boot where he would put his daughter’s personal belongings,” said Reshad.

Cop borrows bike to chase thieves
Nasser Domun lent his bike on Wednesday to Police Officer Khedun who then proceeded with the arrest of two suspected robbers as they fled on a motorcycle. The two suspects had just stolen items from the ‘Prestige’ shop, located near the former Savoy cinema, at Vacoas. It is a seller of the shop who alerted the policeman who was patrolling the area on foot. Wasting no time, the police officer approached Nasser Domun and asked him if he could borrow his motorcycle, and the latter agreed readily. The policeman immediately engaged in a film-style chase and successfully apprehended the runaway thieves some 500 metres away before asking for police reinforcement. The two suspects were then taken to the police station of the locality for further investigation.

Saileshsing, aged 27 was admitted to hospital on Tuesday night after being slashed in the face by Kristaroa, aged 19. Saileshsing was with a friend when Kristaroa raided his house before attacking him with a knife. “I was sleeping when I felt someone sitting on my stomach. Then he slashed my face. I was able to defend myself otherwise he would have killed me. There were some people with him.” The young man, badly wounded, was taken by his relatives to SSRN hospital for treatment. He was hit in the face, right arm and hip and had to undergo several surgeries. His facial injury needed a dozen stitches.

Thief died on stolen motorcycle
Chan F. Wah aged 48, residing at Baie-du-Tombeau met a tragic end on Tuesday afternoon. While trying to flee on a stolen motorcycle, he hit a bus coming from the opposite direction. The collision was so violent that the thug was killed on the spot. The body of Chan F. Wah was taken to SSRN hospital at Pamplemousses. According to preliminary information, the motorcycle was stolen on the day of the tragedy. After stealing the vehicle, the thug who hastened to flee, did not take time to check whether the road was clear.

Ismael Nasmally, a resident of Chemin Grenier says he was helplessly attack by three residents of his locality in the late hours of Thursday, December 29. The names of the accused aggressors have not yet been revealed as the enquiry is still under going.  

Ex-FIU driver awarded Rs 1m damages
Severely injured by a crane, which was being operated by Hyvec Partners Ltd, Krisna Pergun, a driver of the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), has last week been awarded damages amounting to Rs 1 million to be paid by the Mauritius Union Assurance Co. Ltd, the insurer of Hyvec Partners Ltd which had the custody of the crane at the time of the accident.

Robbery with violence at Plaine Verte
l There are almost 6,000 police on the streets during this end of year period, to ensure the security of citizens but thieves have found a new strategy to bypass the police security. They travel by buses and rob passengers. Within 48 hours, three women were attacked and robbed in the bus at Nicolay Road, Port-Louis. Police believe the same thugs are operating in the area.

Ismael P. aged 52 who runs a shop at Bagatelle, was brutally assaulted by two individuals at Khadafi Square, Plaine Verte on Christmas Eve in the presence of police officers and members of the public. This incident occured due to a petty quarrel over a parking space. Feeling slightly ill, he had left his shop at Bagatelle under the supervision of his wife. “I had fever and I went to rest at home at about 6pm.

Charlie Catelina, aged 37, was on the roof of his house at Richelieu watching children playing with firecrackers when he suddenly lost his balance and fell on the ground. It was about five past midnight when Charlie Catelina, a mason, decided to watch kids playing with firecrackers in the street from his rooftop. According to sources, the man was under the influence of alcohol. Charlie’s family, including his children were on the ground, busy unwrapping their gifts while he went on the roof unnoticed. He made a fatal fall and was seriously injured. Admitted to intensive care unit in hospital on Saturday night, the victim passed away on Monday morning.

Basde, aged 61, a Government Senior Surveyor residing at Forest Side was brutally assaulted and robbed on Tuesday evening at Victoria Station at Port Louis by three thugs. On the day of the attack, Basdeo and his colleagues were going to The Plantation hotel for their traditional office end of party. Basdeo said he had a few pegs at the party.

Bodyguard killed
The bodyguard of the former President, Cassam Uteem, had a tragic end. C. Dinally was killed in a car accident at Brabant Street, Port-Louis, at about 4 am on Thursday, December 22. His motorcycle collided with a parked truck. This member of the Very Important Person Security Unit (VIPSU), aged 50, who resided at Bell Village, had worked for Cassam Uteem for the last twenty years.

Roodradev Dursun, a student aged 17, drowned in muddy waters at the foot of Notre-Dame mountain at Long Mountain. It was a family outing that turned into  a tragedy on Wednesday afternoon. Roodradev Dursun was walking at the foot of the mountain in his village of Notre Dame, accompanied by his sister and cousins, all aged between 8 and 11. Suddenly it started raining heavily and soon all that part of the mountain foot became a vast swamp. The youngsters could hardly continue their route as the road was imppracticable because of a surge of mud.