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Kunti Deopersad’s husband Tilkee Gopaul has fallen into depression and relatives now fear for his safety after a recent incident.
In fact, distraught relatives are now calling on the National Family Services Division to provide counselling for Deopersad, Gopaul and their seven children, two of whom are still in school.
During an exclusive interview yesterday, Gopaul said he will always have a place in his life for his wife although she walked out on their marriage after faking her own kidnapping two months ago.
Speaking at his Oropouche South Trace, Barrackpore home yesterday, Gopaul, 60, said he has been unable to work or sleep since Mother’s Day, after he and Deopersad had a physical altercation. Gopaul said he could not fathom the treatment he got from Deopersad, whom he lived with for 23 years and in frustration he lashed out. Remorse later set in and he attempted something he now regrets.
“I was not thinking straight. I had a piece of poui and I give her a lash. Why is she treating me so? I never do nobody nothing. We used to live good. I struggle and build my house, I worked hard to provide for my family and last year I retired from the corporation. I used to still go out and work, cutting people grass and planting garden. She never want for anything, why she do this to me?” Gopaul said with sad eyes.
He said the shame of her betrayal had trapped him inside his own head and his own home. Saying he did not know where he went wrong, Gopaul said now that he was in the latter stages of his life he wanted to have peace.
“I can’t leave here to go anywhere, not even to walk down the road. My daughter had to leave her job in Princes Town because people were talking about Kunti. The children missing her. If I have to go anywhere, someone will drop me. It is not nice what we going through,” Gopaul said.
Recalling his latest ordeal, Gopaul said his son-in-law and one of his daughters prevented him from doing himself severe harm.
Gopaul said he last saw Deopersad in Princes Town on Tuesday.
“I didn’t see her but she called me out. I asked her when she coming back home and she said she will come back after she cools her head,” Gopaul said.
He added that his two younger daughters were facing ridicule in school and he was worried.
“One of them wrote exams yesterday and I could see the sadness on their faces. It not easy watching them grieve. I am glad I did not die because of them. I am sorry for what I did and I won’t do it again,” Gopaul said.
However, his 18-year-old daughter Radha said she was worried about Gopaul. She said she wanted both her parents to get counselling from the National Family Services Division. She too said she was confused by her mother’s behaviour, adding that her father was a good man who always provided for them.
But the man with whom Deopersad is now living with said yesterday that there were many issues which the public did not know, but said it was not his place to tell her story. He said Deopersad has been receiving counselling.
Several attempts were made to contact National Family Services at their hotline, but both numbers were not in service.
Attempts to reach Minister of Social Development Cherrie-Ann Crichlow-Cockburn were also unsuccessful as she did not answer her cellular phone.