BRO, I’M ALIVE

ANGELA Sukhdeo, the mother of kidnap victim Sheldon Sukhdeo, breathed a sigh of relief shortly after midnight yesterday when she got proof that her son, who was abducted on Sunday, is still alive.

Around 12.03 am, Angela’s cell phone rang and when her son Ceron answered he heard voices on the other end telling Sheldon to speak.

Ceron asked some personal questions which only Sheldon could answer.

His voice sounded shaky and he tried to ask his brother, in a coded message, to use all resources necessary to free him from his kidnappers. The call lasted for about four minutes. The phone then went dead.

It was reported to Anti-Kidnapping Unit (AKU) police, who began trying to trace the call. Sheldon was kidnapped around 5 am on Sunday along the Solomon Hochoy Highway in Gasparillo.

He was driving his silver BMW north when three men dressed in police uniform in a Kia Sorento SUV with flashing lights signalled him to stop. He was then bundled into the SUV and has not been seen since.

No ransom has been demanded for the release of the 32-year-old father of two. Sukhdeo, of Caroni Savannah Road, Charlieville, is the brother of murdered real estate and car dealer Sheron Sukhdeo.

Sukhdeo’s common-law wife has gone into hiding but his mother and brother have been working with police to try to find him.

Police believe he was kidnapped by people who had threatened him a few weeks ago. The Anti-Kidnapping Unit is also trying to determine if the kidnappers are fake or genuine police officers. Two Venezuelan women and a Venezuelan man who were with Sheldon when he was kidnapped have been questioned.

Newsday contacted Sheldon’s mother yesterday to find out how the family was coping but she said she was busy and asked Newsday to call back. Sources close to her said she was relieved her son is alive and is hoping that he is returned safely.