Durban - When a Durban man was shot by hijackers and fell to the ground outside his home, his two pets, Delilah and Buddy, rushed to his aid and reminded him why a dog is man’s best friend.
The Boerbul and cross-breed stayed with Anand Ramcheron, 53, and would not leave his side until the police and paramedics came to his rescue.
Even then, they jumped into the ambulance, hoping to be at Ramcheron’s side while he was being taken to hospital on Friday night.
Ramcheron remains in a critical condition in the Netcare St Augustine’s Hospital and was expected to undergo extensive surgery last night to stem internal bleeding.
Delilah and Buddy looked dejected on Saturday when the Sunday Tribune visited Ramcheron’s wife Namitha at their Seaview home, where the drama had unfolded the night before.
The couple had been preparing to leave for a prayer meeting in Greytown when two armed men arrived in a bakkie and allegedly attacked them in their driveway.
The men got out of the bakkie and one accosted Namitha and the other shot Anand.
“I was standing in the garage. My husband opened the door before reversing into the driveway. All of a sudden this bakkie swerved in behind our car and two guys jumped out with guns.
“One ran to me and the other to Anand. The guy didn’t say anything – he just opened fire. It happened so quickly I couldn’t believe what was going on. I was frozen,” she said.
Her husband fell to the floor, his hands bloodied from clutching the wound to his stomach. The hijacker shifted him out of the way before speeding off in their car.
“I was screaming and he was lying on the floor moaning. The two dogs jumped over a gate and came to his side. They wouldn’t move. They refused to leave us,” she said, tears streaming down her face.
“I know they were trying to protect him. His dogs are everything to him. They really love him. They follow him everywhere,” she said.
ER24 spokesman Derrick Banks said that when medics arrived at the scene, they found Anand lying on his side in the driveway, flanked by his dogs.
“He sustained a single gunshot wound to the abdomen and lost a significant amount of blood. Advanced life support paramedics stabilised him at the roadside,” he said.
He said when Anand was put in the ambulance, both dogs jumped in and it was difficult to get them out.
Anand underwent emergency surgery early on Saturday to remove the bullet.
Namitha said this was the third time she and her husband had been hijacked.
“Crime in this area is out of control. No one knows how bad it really is here.
“Apart from the hijackings, our house was broken into last year and while the criminals were inside they stabbed Buddy with a screwdriver as he was trying to drive them out,” she said.
A police officer, who could not be named, said they had responded to the scene and searched the area.
“Police were alerted by an alarm signal and several calls to 10111. The area was searched and we are now awaiting information about the hijackers,” he said.
Police spokesman Jay Naicker said detectives were investigating the violent hijacking and confirmed no arrests had been made.
He urged people to be aware of their surroundings when entering and exiting their homes.
Sunday Tribune