Karan Persaud, 48, forced his way into…
By Tien-Shun Lee
An ex-convict released from prison in March held his estranged wife hostage at gunpoint in her Ozone Park home for nearly 28 hours from Friday to Saturday morning before shooting himself in the head, police said.
Karan Persaud, 48, forced his way into his wife’s home about 12:35 a.m. Friday, police said. His wife, Indrani Jawana Persaud, 44, had just returned from JFK Airport where she works for an air freight company to her first floor apartment at 105-02 Van Wyck Expressway. She lives with her two daughters, Janet, 25, and Melissa, 13, police said.
The two daughters called 911 and Janet Persaud’s boyfriend, Nevash Budhai, 27, before escaping from the house while Persaud held his wife hostage in a bedroom at gunpoint, police said.
After Budhai arrived at the house, he was scared off by Persaud, who fired a shot that did not hit anyone.
“I heard shots and I saw a big guy run out of the house and down the street,” said Greg Anthony, 20, who along with a crowd of other neighbors and reporters gathered nearby on Liberty Avenue Friday afternoon.
Police Department hostage negotiators tried throughout the day without success to persuade Persaud to surrender. Finally, about 4:10 a.m. Saturday, Persaud fell asleep, which allowed Indrani Persaud to escape through a bedroom window.
A few minutes later a shot rang out, and police rushed into the house and found Persaud dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.
Indrani Persaud was taken to Jamaica Hospital for observation, police said.
In 1998, Persaud was arrested for holding his wife hostage in the family’s previous home on 121st Street in South Ozone Park, said police. He was imprisoned for four years and released four months ago.
“I remember they had the area cordoned off,” recalled Leonard Pelosa, 77, a former neighbor of the Persauds who has lived at 115-16 121st St. more than 45 years. “I think he had a machete or something. He had her hostage for a couple of hours. Then they took him out in handcuffs and I guess they brought him to jail.”
Pelosa said the family, which moved to his neighborhood in the mid-1970s, seemed quiet and never appeared to have any arguments.
“He looked like a very devoted father,” Pelosa said of Persaud. “I think he was very much in love with his wife.”
Pelosa said Indrani Persaud sold her house on 121st Street earlier this year, before Persaud was released from prison.
“I guess after he kept her hostage a couple of times she felt like she wanted to move to get away from him,” said Pelosa.
Another former neighbor, who asked not to give his name, said Persaud seemed like a “regular guy” until police came to the neighborhood four years ago and blocked off the street while Persaud held his wife hostage.
“He was a nice guy, an all right guy,” said the neighbor. “He was always playing with his little daughter outside. They seemed like a normal family.”
Reach reporter Tien-Shun Lee by email at Timesledger@aol.com, or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 155.
