Parents: Those bones not our son

HEMRAJ and Radica Matagoolam do not believe the skeletal remains found close to their Couva home on Tuesday are those of their missing 18-year-old son Anil.

Speaking with Newsday yesterday, Matagoolam said the police told him it was unlikely the burnt skull and bones found near the old Brechin Castle sugar factory on Tuesday evening were Anil’s.

He said police told him they would take blood samples from him and his wife, but they had not been contacted yet.

Anil left his Rivulet Road, Couva home around 2pm on June 13 and has not been seen or heard from since.

“I went up where they found the body on Tuesday, they didn’t let me go and see what they found but the police say they doubt it is Anil because it looks like that body was there for a long time,” Matagoolam said.

He said the family visited a pundit who told them Anil was being kept in a room with his hands and feet bound, and he believes his youngest son is still alive. A tearful Radica said she believes her son’s friends know what happened to him and are refusing to talk.

She said she is not giving up hope that Anil may return home safely and sent this message to anyone who may be holding him: “All we want is our son to come home, please let him come home. Anil, we are looking for you and we will not stop.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the family at 703-9623 or 348-8767, the Couva police station at 636-2333 or any police station.