Cops hold two for kidnap of Vijay Persad

TWO MEN were last night assisting police in their investigations into the kidnapping of ten-year-old Vijay Persad, son of Moruga shopkeeper Rajkumar Persad. Police believe Vijay’s kidnappers are “novices” whose prime objective was to extort a “fast buck” from the boy’s father. Members of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad (AKS) held the suspects in St Mary’s Village, Moruga, on Saturday night. The Persads live in St Mary’s Village. Vijay was abducted from outside his father’s shop by four men who first attempted to gain entry into the shop. The family has received two telephone calls from the kidnappers who have demanded $500,000 for Vijay’s release. The last call was made on June 24.

A combined party of policemen from the AKS and Princes Town Police Station combed certain rural parts of St Mary’s Village all day Saturday. At around 10 pm, the party rounded up three men, ages between 26 and 30. Up to late yesterday two of the men were still being interrogated by AKS officers at the Princes Town Police Station, while the other was released from custody. The police party was spearheaded by Ag Sgt Hosein and PC Ramdeo of the Princes Town Police. Yesterday marked the 14th day that Vijay was in the hands of kidnappers. His grief-stricken mother, Marilyn, was being comforted by an elderly woman when Newsday visited the family yesterday. The Persad’s shop is an old weather-beaten wooden structure, surrounded by empty lots filled with bushes and trees.
            
Vijay’s father, Rajkumar, said the family, has held three Hindu pujas, seeking God’s intervention for Vijay’s release. He said strong religious belief has given the family courage to keep hoping the boy will soon be released. “We pray to God that he is with our son,” said Persad who pleaded with his son’s kidnappers to telephone him. He said family members have raised a “small” sum to pay as ransom. Persad said Vijay was kidnapped at a time when he was taking his end of term test at the Robert Village Hindu School.

“He had only sat Mathematics and Science.” Persad said he had made arrangements for Vijay to attend extra lessons during the school vacation.   “I want to prepare him for the SEA examination next year,” he explained. Persad said the family, while praying for a good outcome, has been deeply traumatised by the kidnapping and their lives have been on hold since the incident. Vijay’s siblings, Nirmala, 13, Sanjay, eight, and Ariyana, two, have not ventured outside their home since the incident and Persad’s shop has remained closed.