Bandits robbed a remigrant cattle farmer and his vacationing brother of over $5 million in cash and jewellery during an attack along the Corentyne on Wednesday night.

Nankishore Taijram, who was confronted by the three armed bandits in his backyard, said they questioned him about “the foreigner,” an apparent reference to his brother, Pooran Taijram, who only returned to Guyana on Sunday. The brothers believe the man’s arrival made them a target for the bandits.

Nankishore told Stabroek News the attack occurred at around 7pm at his Lot 42 B No. 62 Village home. After they questioned him, he told the men, who were armed with a handgun, a shotgun and knives that his brother was in front of the house.

Nankishore, who had gone to the back of the yard to get a piece of rope, was soon bound by the men, who escorted him to the front, where he called out to his brother. After securing both brothers, the bandits entered the house and demanded cash and jewellery.

At one point during the almost half-an-hour-long ordeal, Nankishore said, the men took pliers and squeezed his brother’s tongue as they continued to demand more jewellery.

In Corentyne attack… Bandits wrest millions from remigrant farmer, vacationing brother

Not satisfied, Nankishore said the men subsequently went into his bedroom and ransacked and ripped apart his wardrobe in their quest for more cash and jewellery. In addition to cash and jewellery, the men also collected large bottles of liquor, tools, duffle bags and cellular phones.

He said after the men could not find any more valuables they asked about what was in the kitchen to drink. They told the men they had beers, which they handed over. Only one of the bandits took a drink. Immediately after he was done, the bandits took the brothers into the bathroom and locked them inside. The men made their escape through the rear of the yard, from where they had entered the premises.

After a few minutes had passed, the brothers made their way out of the bathroom and went over to a nearby shop across the road and they were untied. They summoned the police, who arrived a few minutes.

Nankishore revealed that he was residing abroad but moved back to Guyana about seven months ago and built himself a house where he currently resides.

Meanwhile, police are also pursuing two gunmen who robbed a vegetable vendor and his wife on Wednesday morning at the Black Bush Polder entrance, at Adventure. Hemraj Singh, 54, of Lusignan, East Coast Demerara, and his wife were robbed of their vehicle as well as $180,000 and a cell phone.