An irate uncle of kidnapped taxi driver, Vivekanand Nandalall yesterday attacked and chopped a Bare Root resident who had gone to purchase cigarettes at a shop in nearby Enterprise, East Coast Demerara, thereby threatening an already fragile peace between the two communities.

Terrence Gulliver, a 45-year-old farmer, was last night nursing wounds across the bridge of his nose, under his left eye and on his left hand. He received about 14 stitches. His attacker, on the other hand, could not be found after the incident.

According to a release from the Police Public Relations Office, “the incident stemmed from remarks allegedly made by the victim who had gone to the shop to make a purchase, and which apparently annoyed one of the uncles.”

However, the shop’s owner, another of Nandalall’s uncles, told Stabroek News that his brother had no right to attack Gulliver.

The shop owner told Stabroek News that Gulliver had remarked, “Ya’ll ain’t really want back de boy...if de people want more money, pay them,” and that this might have sparked the attack. But Gulliver denied making the comments.

Recounting the incident, which occurred around noon, the man said he left his job at Melanie to return home for lunch. On his way, the father of one said he stopped at the Lincoln Street shop in Enterprise to purchase cigarettes, a packet of ‘Milo’ and some ice.

As he was about to leave, the attacker reportedly appeared suddenly and started to chop Gulliver.

“All I know I feel something come straight down pon me with a force, ‘Whap!’ Straight to me face...I loose me bicycle and then I turn ‘round and push me hand at the same time... When I get cut, the first thing come to me that they taking revenge on this same kidnap story [and] is ‘til when me come from de hospital, then me know that me name calling, stating that they suspect me a one of de man what know ‘bout de kidnapping,” the farmer told this newspaper.

He denied that he was ever questioned by the police about Nandalall’s kidnapping, claiming, instead, that he is “a flat foot hustler” who is usually on the road earning his keep the honest way.

The incident sparked some protests by a few residents of Bare Root. One Enterprise resident said that about 10 or 15 persons rushed into the community and broke up a stall and threw rocks and bottles. He said the disturbance did not last long and had ceased by the time the police arrived on the scene.

Gulliver and some residents of Bare Root yesterday declared that they would not return to the shop. The wounded farmer, who had been living in the area for the past 11 years, said he purchased most of his items there. But yesterday he stated: “I won’t go back in the shop. These people wrong me and they trying, in a diplomatic way, fo say I say something towards them, which in dah is not the story. I won’t tek it so...the police will have to do they work.”

The shop owner, meanwhile, told this newspaper that the incident had put added pressure to his family. The man’s 20-year-old nephew was kidnapped on October 16, and although relatives paid $1M in ransom, the young man was never released.

He believes that Gulliver’s remarks were meant in “good faith”, since he never suspected the farmer to be involved in Nandalall’s kidnapping.

“Somehow my brother felt that he was involved...the man just come in the shop buying cigarettes, buying a packet a ‘Milo’ and the man going away. I don’t know where de hell he [the attacker] came from. I try to get in between...I say, ‘You all stop this, stop this!’ I know the man [Gulliver]. The man can’t be involved [in the kidnapping]. He mouth might be big, yes, but from day one when I open business, that man is one of my customers. He is not a big buyer, but he comes every single day to my shop, even through the bad times he comes...he is one of the people who don’t stay away. This is an unfortunate incident and it should a never happen. It is wrong for my brother to do that. The man didn’t do him anything,” the shop owner said.

He is hoping that the incident does not sour relations between him and the residents of Bare Root, who he said made up 95 per cent of his customers.

The police said they were seeking the whereabouts of the attacker and the force was urging residents “not to be unduly alarmed and to desist from engaging in unlawful activities.”