Kidnap victim Asraph Ali has been freed. A $3 million ransom had been demanded for the safe release of Ali, 30, who lives at Santa Phillipa Road, Caparo. Ali, a foreign-used car dealer, was snatched around 7 pm on Wednesday at Limehead Road, Chase Village. He had gone to Limehead Road, with his 22-year-old wife, to view a car. Police believe he was lured from his Caparo home by the kidnappers who offered to sell him a car.
Ali and his wife drove to the scheduled meeting point where they were accosted by a group of armed men. The men forced the couple into Ali's Silver B-14 and drove off. Ali's wife was pushed out of the car along Joyce Road, Chase Village. The men drove off with Ali. Ali's car was later discovered abandoned in the Waterloo area. When the Guardian visited Caparo yesterday, Ali was at the home of relatives where a Hindu pooja was being conducted.
A male relative of Ali declined to say if all or part of the $3 million ransom had been paid. "That is in the hands of the police," the distraught relative said. Ali was released in the Orange Field area sometime around 3 am on Friday and was distraught and shaken. The relative said Ali was roughed up by his abductors, but showed no visible signs of being beaten. He said family members were happy with the safe release of Ali and feared that kidnappings were on the upswing again.
Councillor for the area Paras Ramoutar issued a warning to people living in rural communities. He said he, too, feared that in the current hard times kidnapping may be on the upswing. Ramoutar said there were a number of affluent people in Caparo and surrounding communities who may be easy targets for kidnappers. He said the area was poorly policed and a police post should be set up in the area as a preventative measure.
