Imam abducted in Biche forest

THE assistant Imam (Muslim priest) of the Biche Village ASJA Mosque, Azzizool Baksh, was kidnapped yesterday morning by four gunmen. Baksh, 35, a father of three, was abducted while on his way to sell coffee and yesterday relatives made a stirring appeal to the kidnappers to release him unharmed. Up to late yesterday, Baksh’s wife Myroon had not received a ransom demand. But police, hot on the heels of the kidnappers, detained two men in connection with the kidnapping who are assisting police in their investigations.

Baksh, a hardware proprietor, was involved in the sale of coffee and cocoa in Biche, 18 miles Northeast of Rio Claro. According to a police report, Baksh and two workmen purchased a truckload of coffee near the Biche forest, seven miles from his home, around 6 am. While driving out of the forested area, police said, a Chevrolet car drove behind Baksh’s truck. According to the report, the men in the car honked the horn and attempted to overtake the truck which was driven by Baksh.

Police said that when Baksh slowed down, the car overtook the truck and swerved in front of it, blocking its path. Four masked men armed with guns alighted and ran towards the truck. The gunmen virtually dragged the workmen out of the truck, police said, then grabbed Baksh and bundled him into the car. The workmen subsequently contacted the Biche Police Station. When Newsday visited Baksh’s home on the Biche Main Road yesterday, wife Myroon and three daughters, aged between six and 13, were too distraught to speak about the incident.

Speaking to Newsday in front of the hardware, which is located next to Baksh’s home, Shaizool, 41, his brother/co-owner of the hardware, made a tearful appeal to the kidnappers to release Baksh. Shaizool said his brother suffered with kidney stones and has an injury on one of his knees. “He needs to take his medication. He never hurt anybody and he works very hard. Please do not hurt him and let him go.” Asked if the family would be able to pay a ransom, a crying Shaizool said, “I don’t know. I really want him home. Our country should not be like this.” Officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and Biche Police Station are heading investigations.