Trying to make an honest living is proving too difficult for a mother of four having endured two armed robberies, with the latest causing her to lose her ring finger.Indira Ramgobind of Track ‘A’ Coldingen, East Coast Demerara is a fish vendor who attempted to carry on her business using a donkey cart accompanied by her husband, Shaeed Ibrahim.
She was shot and injured when a lone gunman robbed them of their sales of $4,000 and a gold ring, her wedding band.

Indira Ramgobind’s left hand without a finger.

It happened on September 1, 2015 while, the couple had left their home at about 07:30 hrs. They were selling fish at Back Street, Non Pareil, a short distance from their home when they were attacked and robbed.
The 50-year-old woman told this newspaper that it was the first time they went to sell fish in the Non Pareil area and they had only made one sale of $1,000 but had an additional $3000 when she was robbed.
She explained that they were moving along on the donkey driven cart which was led by her husband while, she was sitting at the back in the tray when she encountered a young man on a bicycle.
The woman added that she thought he asked them to stop but he did not and he came up to her and started to shoot without saying anything.
The robber just pulled out a gun and began discharging bullets indiscriminately at her and she put up her hand to shield her head when he shot out her ring finger.
She started to bleed profusely and the bandit put his hand in her pocket and took out the money she had and left.
The fish vendor stated that when the bandit started to shoot, her husband tried to act by arming himself with a chopper but the robber continued shooting but residents heard the gunshots.
As a crowd grew the lone gunman jumped on his bicycle and fled the scene.
Ramgobind said she was first taken to Vigilance Police Station then to Dr. Leslie Carter after which she was referred to the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC) where she underwent a surgical operation.
She explained that a re-attachment was not successful as such she has lost some feeling to that hand and her remaining fingers as well.
Ramgobind remarked that she may never regain the full use of that hand and the incident has left her very tramautised and they have not returned to selling fish since.
She said, “What will I do for a living now? We had that donkey and cart and decided to use it to sell fish and look what happened. How do I move on from here?”
A week before that incident, Ramgobind told this publication that she was robbed at her home while she was alone some men came in her bedroom and placed a knife to her neck and demanded she hand over the “box money.”
She stated that she had collected $100,000 and had some other money at home which amounted to $230,000 – all of which was taken.
The woman noted that she is very afraid to go out and vend since the robberies, moreso the recent one she is unsure how she will make a living.
Ramgobind used to sell fish one-day per week at Mon Repos Market, also on East Coast Demerara.
She disclosed that after the robbery she visited the Vigilance Police Station where she was taken on an identification parade where eight young men were displayed.
Ramgobind said she did not recognise any of them as the gunman who shot and robbed her. (Michel Outridge)