Cops fail to heed report that Ria was seen in forest

The hunters who are from the Cedros area said they hid in the bushes as the abductors marched Sookdeo deeper into the forest .

The hunters later contacted police and awaited their arrival but no officer ever showed up. In frustration the hunters returned to their home and related what they had seen to family members. It was only yesterday that one of the family members who were informed of the incident alerted a senior officer of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit about the incident in the forest .

Newsday understands that two days after Sookdeo was kidnapped the two hunters who were well acquainted with the forested area opposite the dump decided to spend a day seeking out wild animals .

However it was while walking through a track close to dusk dark that they saw a young woman fitting the description of Sookdeo blindfolded and being escorted further into the forest through another track by three young men .

Due to poor lighting the hunters were unable to identify the men, but based on their voices they are believed to be young persons who were seen pushing the abducted woman .

Up until yesterday, no one from the AKU would respond to this new revelation that officers failed to heed the hunters’ report of a woman being marched through the forests. Newsday understands that a person known to Sookdeo has close links with persons of ill repute in the Cedros/Icacos area .

Police believe this individual may have key information on why Sookdeo was snatched .

Financial records gained from police reveal that the male relative is in receipt of large amount of money which he cannot account for, prompting police to believe that he may be involved in illicit activities. Yesterday marked 18 days since Sookdeo went missing .

Sookdeo, 34, of Raghoo Village, Debe was kidnapped just dropped after she had dropped off her two children, Elana, nine, and Tores, five, at the Picton Presbyterian Primary School .

It was reported that investigators, acting on information over the weekend, searched the home of a man who is known to Sookdeo as they continued their relentless search for the mother of two who has been missing since September 22. A senior officer said: “We are following every lead we have and we are also looking at every angle.” Yesterday, a relative who spoke to Newsday admitted that the “strain” of the last 19 days has been tearing the family apart especially as police are yet to make a breakthrough in their investigations .

“It has not been easy,” the relative said. “It is plenty friction right now as family members watching one another with bad eye, each one thinking that the next one knows something and hiding information from the police. I am telling you we are totally frustrated as the days go by .