In a twist to the murder of Diamond Housing Scheme businessman, Gangadeen Khedoo on Sunday morning, police have detained his wife and daughter.

Family members had reported that two cutlass-wielding bandits had shot and killed the businessman with his own gun and then robbed his family of some $300,000 and the firearm. He was also chopped on the head.

Up to press time last night, Kissondai, Khedoo's wife and their 20-year-old daughter Julie Khedoo were inmates at the East La Penitence lock-ups. They were first taken to Providence station on Sunday around 10 am.

Relatives said police explained that there was not enough evidence to prove that Khedoo's house was broken into and they had to do further investigations.

Ramdularie Khedoo, the dead man's sister was positive that the locked-up family members did not kill Khedoo. She said she was assured by the man's son, that there was no domestic squabble, neither was he aware of any problem between his mother and father. Relatives have since consulted a lawyer and are prepared to take legal action. A post-mortem examination was done yesterday and revealed that Khedoo sustained two gunshot wounds - one in the region of his heart and the other somewhere else on his chest. He was also chopped twice, the autopsy revealed. Ramdularie said since the detention of Kissondai and Julie, relatives have been trying to get an explanation from the police but none has been forthcoming. She said they have also been debarred from speaking to the couple. However, Ramdularie expects that with the findings of the autopsy they would be released by today.Police believe that the robbery/murder might have been the work of a close relative or someone who knew the family well. Some $300,000, four cellular phones and Khedoo's .32 revolver were stolen.

Khedoo was an executive member of the New Diamond Housing Scheme Policing Group. He had also operated a large hardware business in the scheme. Relatives told this newspaper that a watchman who was on the premises at the time of the killing said he only became aware that someone was in the house when he heard the shuffling of feet upstairs. No one knew how the bandits entered the yard, but reports are that they got in by opening two windows in the bathroom. One of the windows had a bullet hole, when Stabroek News visited Sunday. The windows were shut at the time of this newspaper's visit. Ramdularie said after police did their investigations the windows were closed.

The watchman told relatives that when he realised Khedoo was involved in a scuffle he ran out of the yard to summon help. When he returned the bandits had already left, he explained.

Initial reports from relatives were that around 1.30 Sunday morning, Khedoo was in his bed sleeping, while his wife, Kissondai and daughter, Julie were outside watching television and the couple's two sons, 18-year-old Thakur and 10-year-old Doodnauth, were out at a fair.

Stabroek News was told that Kissondai got up to go to the bathroom but as she approached the door she saw movement. The woman later saw a hand moving a towel which was hanging on the bathroom door. Realising that it was an intruder she slammed the door and went back into the living room informing her daughter about what she had seen. Shortly after this, Khedoo was woken from his sleep and told about the intruder by his wife and daughter. Arming himself with his licensed firearm he emerged from his bedroom, but as soon as he approached the bathroom one of the bandits attacked him.

He was chopped on his head and during a scuffle his firearm was taken away. He was then shot. Reports are that during the shooting Khedoo's wife was downstairs hiding while his daughter was left transfixed on a chair. She was then tied up and threatened before handing over the money and the other articles.