$200,000 ransom demand for latest kidnap victim

THERE has been yet another kidnapping in the southland. One day after 19-year-old Shakti Pooran went missing, his relatives received a telephone call, with a male voice demanding $200,000 ransom for the teen’s safe release.

Pooran, is the son of Gopaul Pooran, proprietor of Pooran Glass Supplies, located at Southern Main Road, Marabella and Rushworth Street, San Fernando. The teenager lives with his ailing mother Indira Nanan, at Aripero Village, Esperanza. He went missing since Wednesday evening and a missing person’s report was made to the Oropouche Police Station. Relatives only became aware that Pooran had been abducted after the kidnappers called his father on Thursday evening. So far the kidnappers have made four telephone calls to the boy’s father, demanding the money. Pooran is the second person kidnapped within the month.

On September 15, Princes Town businesswoman Tricia Suryadevera, 26, was snatched from her businessplace — Trinkets Ltd — and a ransom was demanded for her safe release. Eight days later, she was released after an undisclosed sum of money was paid. Speaking from his San Fernando businessplace yesterday, the elder Pooran said he received the first call around 7.30 pm on Thursday. “They say they have the boy and they hang up. They called about ten minutes later and demanded $200,000, for his safe return.” He said the kidnappers called twice yesterday to find out whether he had raised the money. But , according to Pooran, he had only been able to raise $40,000. When he told his son’s kidnappers that was all the money he had, they said they would call later. Pooran said he has asked the kidnappers repeatedly to speak with his son, but they have refused. The father made an appeal to the abductors not to harm his son, and to release him.

Newsday understands that since last September the teenager had been staying by his girlfriend’s relatives at Esperance Village, and had returned only on Wednesday. He left home around 4 pm, telling his mother that he was going to visit his friends. When he did not return home, his mother assumed that he had gone by his girlfriend’s relatives home. However, when Nanan called the relatives they informed her that Pooran was not there. Nanan and other relatives mounted a futile search for him. The worried woman then made a report to the Oropouche police station. Almost two hours later