Tears of joy as Tricia freed

THERE WERE tears of joy at the family home in Princes Town yesterday morning as kidnapped victim Tricia Suryadevera returned to her home after being held captive for eight days until her family paid a ransom, reportedly $300,000 for her return.

Tricia, who was kidnapped last Monday, was freed early yesterday morning, senior police officers told Newsday. She had not been harmed and was said by relatives to be in good spirits. Newsday learned that Tricia arrived home to a tumultuous welcome by relatives, in a car driven by a family member. Neighbours said there were loud cheers when Tricia emerged from the car around 1.30 am. Tricia, who got married February last, hugged her mother Sita and father, Shirkissoon. There were tears of joy from  members of the family, neighbours and friends who were participating in nightly prayer vigils at the home. One well-wisher described Tricia as being emotional, but in high spirits. She spent all yesterday resting at home. Police also confirmed that relatives of the 26-year-old woman paid a portion of the ransom money. Senior officers told Newsday that around 12.35 am yesterday, two men Barrington Jacob, of Eastern Quarry, Laventille, and Hamnan Maharaj, of Cantaro Village, Santa Cruz, were in the vicinity of the traffic lights on Aranjuez Main Road, when they were flagged down by a woman of East Indian descent. The woman identified herself as Tricia and said she wanted to make a telephone call, senior police officers said.

Jacob and Maharaj stopped a police vehicle on patrol and the two officers took Tricia with the two men to the Barataria Police Station. Shortly after, acting Insp Netram Kowlessar of the Anti Kidnapping Squad (AKS) and others from the department arrived at the station as well as ASP Henry Millington. Tricia was taken away. Her parents were subsequently contacted after which the young woman was taken to a medical institution where she was medically examined and found to be “OK.” Following her medical examination, police said Suryadevera had a “preliminary chat” with members of the AKS about her eight-day ordeal. Tricia reportedly told police she had no idea where she had been kept. She was also said to have been blindfolded during her time in captivity. No arrests had been made up to late evening, and AKS officers, headed by Sr Supt Gilbert Reyes are continuing investigations.

Suryadevera was kidnapped on the morning of September 15 shortly after she opened her businessplace, Trinkets Limited, High Street, Princes Town. She was then taken away by three armed and masked men, who bundled her into a waiting Nissan B13 Sentra vehicle.  Hours later, the kidnappers telephoned Suryadevera’s father, Teeluck Shirkissoon and demanded a $2 million ransom for her safe release. Relatives were reluctant to speak to the media yesterday.  One woman who answered the telephone would only say that Tricia was “OK.”   The woman refused to give her name and did not want to comment further.  She then hung up the phone. The family’s four business places, located close to each other in Princes Town remained closed yesterday. Even a truck loaded with furniture attempted to conduct a delivery, but relatives refused to respond to the driver’s calls. Around midday Tricia’s brother Taurel Teelucksingh said he was busy on the telephone taking calls from relatives abroad, and could say nothing at this time. All he said was that his sister had not been harmed by the kidnappers.