Two suspects were arrested yesterday, and Wanted Bulletins were issued today for three others, as police investigate the attempted murder of Raagendra Sooragpaul and Sookedeo Sooragpaul, both of Lot 23 Anna Regina, Essequibo Coast, which occurred on 14 March 2025.
On that day, a violent onslaught was unleashed on Raagendra and his father, Sookedeo, by three men who attacked them at their home during the Phagwah holiday.
Raagendra had returned from visiting relatives around 13:20 hrs and was sitting under the house speaking with his wife when three men approached, calling out for his brother, Avie. After informing them that Avie was not at home, his father stepped outside to speak with the men. Moments later, the suspects turned violent, cuffing and kicking the elder Sooragpaul to the ground.
As Raagendra rushed to help his father, the men descended on him with a baseball bat, striking him repeatedly as both father and son were brutally beaten. The victims were subsequently escorted to the Suddie Public Hospital, where they were examined and treated by a doctor, who issued medical certificates for their injuries.
A few days later, Sookedeo boarded a flight to the United States, where further examinations revealed he had suffered several broken ribs.
The matter was reported to the police, and an investigation was launched.
Acting on information received, ranks from the Criminal Investigation Department Headquarters, Vlissengen Road, arrested 33-year-old Jose Bristol, a supervisor at Superior Concrete Inc., of Lot 147 Barr Street, Kitty, Georgetown.
During a detailed interview conducted by detectives, Bristol confessed that he and two accomplices were hired by a well-known businessman, Andra Parag, to attack the Sooragpauls.
He stated that he had known Parag for several years and worked as his “enforcer,” carrying out violent attacks on individuals at Parag’s request. He further alleged that Parag often tied up people at his workplace and assaulted them in his presence.
Bristol added that Parag shared close ties with another prominent businessman, Junior Baksh, from whom the Sooragpauls had borrowed over $40 million. According to Bristol, Parag intervened in the dispute on Baksh’s behalf, claiming the father and son were hiding from their debt and instructing him to “teach them a lesson.”
He told investigators that Parag promised to pay him $1 million for the job and recruited two other men, including Jermaine Adams, to assist. On the day of the attack, Bristol said he lured Raagendra outside and struck him, while Adams used a baseball bat and the third accomplice joined in the beating. When Sookedeo attempted to protect his son, the men turned their assault on him as well.
Bristol admitted that after the attack, Parag handed him $500,000 as partial payment but never delivered the outstanding sum.
He also alleged that Parag is currently in Venezuela.
Further investigations led to the arrest of 38-year-old Kevin Dey, a businessman of Lot 287 Lamaha Gardens, who imports motor vehicles.
Dey is the brother of social media comedian Bradley Sampson, also known as ‘Doggy’, and it is alleged that he too worked alongside Parag as an enforcer, carrying out violent acts on his behalf.
Despite efforts, checks made for Andra Parag, Jermaine Adams, and Rayfield London proved futile.
As such, Wanted Bulletins (included in this post) have been published for the suspects, as investigators continue their pursuit.
The two arrested suspects remain in police custody.
