Parents hear voice of kidnapped boy

THE FAMILY of kidnap victim Vijay Persad was allowed to hear his voice on the telephone for the first time during his week-long abduction. Ten-year-old Vijay reportedly had a brief conversation with his father, Ragkummar, on Friday evening. According to reports, the boy told his father not to worry since he (Vijay) was okay. He also said he could not wait to return to his home and family. Meanwhile, police continue to apprehend and question persons in connection with the boy’s kidnapping, as they took four more persons into custody.

Early yesterday, police held two couples in Moruga, aged 49 and 40; and 29 and 20, who were taken to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad headquarters for questioning. This followed an exercise on Saturday, where police took into custody two others, aged 19 and 22, of Samuel Cooper Trace in Princes Town. Police sources said, however, that the latter two were expected to be released by evening. Three men were also released on Friday evening after being in police custody for two days.

Relatives of some of the suspects gathered outside the Princes Town station awaiting their release. They told the media that a 48-year-old nurse, her two sons aged 27 and 28, and a 16-year-old girl were also held for questioning, but police denied this. Vijay was kidnapped on Monday night around 8 pm as his father was fending off three bandits who were attempting to break into the family grocery at Moruga Road, Indian Walk, Princes Town, when the men snatched the boy and ran off with him. The Persad family was later contacted by the abductors and ordered to pay a $.5 million ransom for Vijay’s return. ASP Joseph Nathaniel is investigating.