Spiritual leaders tell relatives Ria is alive

This, according to relatives who continue to hold out hope that the wife and mother of two will soon be returned safely home to her family.

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, the relative said, “We have met with priests from the Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Baptist and other spiritual people and everybody saying that Ria is alive and in a house and wants to come home. They also say that a rich man is involved in her kidnapping.

All these spiritual people can’t be wrong and that is why we are begging whoever have Ria to please let her come home.” Last week Thursday, at about 8.15 am, Sookdeo was driving her red Nissan X-Trail vehicle and had just dropped off nine-year-old daughter Elena and five-year-old son Toraz to classes at the Picton Presbyterian School, Picton when she drove a short distance away to turn. It was the last time she was seen or heard from as a report stated that her path was blocked by a black Nissan X-Trail vehicle from which a man dressed in police uniform exited and snatched her before bundling her into the black vehicle and speeding off. Surveillance cameras near the scene of the incident captured the image of the vehicle. Last Sunday, police went to a house at Rochard Road, Penal where they seized and impounded a similar black vehicle that was parked in a garage at the back of a house. Three persons, including a police officer on suspension, and a female relative were detained as “persons of interest”. They have however since been released pending further investigations.

An official police sketch of man has also been released as investigators seek the public’s assistance in finding those responsible as after one week, they are yet to make a breakthrough in the case. A motive for her abduction has not been established.

Thus far, extensive but futile searches have been conducted in the south western peninsula and in the Barrackpore area. Relatives and friends continue to gather each night at her home at Wellington Road, Debe to offer prayers.

The relative continued, “Somebody must know something, so please, anybody, just say something.

We want Ria home. Just think about her two little children and what they are going through not seeing their mother.” Police returned tothe home on Wednesday where they continued intense interviews with family members.