Kidnappers demand $3 million for teen

THE kidnappers who have 13-year-old Gewan Geelal hostage telephoned his family yesterday demanding $3 million for his safe release. However, up to late yesterday police sources said the ransom had not been paid nor were the teen’s whereabouts known.

Geelal was abducted on Wednesday morning in Aranjuez while being transported to school. His father, Premnath Geelal, 44, who operates the family business — Geelal’s Dry Goods store — on the El Socorro Road, San Juan was himself kidnapped on March 25, last year. Yesterday, relatives refused to speak to the media saying only that Gewan suffers from asthma which needs constant attention.  When Newsday visited the house yesterday, smoke from religious incense wafted in the air near a group of jhandis (flags),  remnants of a prayer ceremony held recently. Members of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) spent most of yesterday working on several “strong leads”. However sources said the investigations were at a “delicate stage” and as such, information was being withheld from the media.