Escaped teen living in fear

Mahabir, who was nursing cuts, bruises and mosquito bites at his El Socorro home yesterday, escaped on Sunday by removing the duct tape which bound his hands together, and made his way through the bushes in Santa Cruz, where he alerted a man who took him to the Santa Cruz Police Station.

Although he is back home with his family, Mahabir is afraid of venturing out of his home, and is living in fear that he may have angered his abductors by escaping. The slightly built teenager said after being kidnapped last Tuesday night at Don Miguel Extension Road, he was bundled into a car, blindfolded, tied up, and taken to bushes in Santa Cruz.

He said he was fed bread and cheese and given water to drink.

A gun was placed to his head and he was told that if his father Willie did not pay a ransom for him, he was going to die. Mahabir pointed out that the kidnappers, with rough voices, kept asking him how much money his father had. When he told them he did not know, he was beaten about the body.

Mahabir said he prayed and kept thinking of ways and means to escape.

His chance came at about 11 am on Sunday, when the kidnappers left him in the bushes. He managed to remove the duct tape, and then the blindfold.

He carefully made his way out of the bushes, and, on reaching a main road, he solicited the assistance of a man driving a car. Mahabir identified himself as a kidnap victim and was taken to the Santa Cruz Police Station. He was later interviewed by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and treated by a doctor.

During his stay in the Santa Cruz forest, Mahabir said he was fearful for his life, but prayers gave him the hope and courage. The escaped teenager’s father, Willie Mahabir, said he was happy to have his son back home. He is calling on the authorities to do something about the spate of kidnappings in the country. Yesterday, Mahabir was busy preparing a meal of curried chicken and rice for his son.

Thje boy’s mother, Ragwatee Mohammed, stayed indoors, thanking the Almighty that her son had come home to her.

Officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad are investigating.