Couva man found dead hours after kidnapping

COUVA resident Vishnu Lalla, 63, was found dead in some bushes on November 9, just over 24 hours after he was kidnapped from his home, and a $100,000 ransom was demanded.

Lalla's wife told investigators that around 6.50 pm on November 8, she went outside their home in Dairy Lane, Windsor Park, California, to look for him, as he was tending to his animals, when she saw his grey Toyota Hilux speeding away from the property. She received a call about half an hour later from Lalla's phone with an unknown male voice demanding a $100,000 ransom be paid before midnight for his safe return.

Police discovered Lalla's pickup truck destroyed by fire about a 15-minute drive away on George Street in Esperanza, California.

Around 8 pm on November 9, officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit mounted a search of a forested area off Brechin Castle Road, Rivulet Road, Couva, based on intelligence received.

Around 9.30 pm, the officers found Lalla's body about one mile into the bushes. His hands were bound behind his back with a piece of cloth, and he had what appeared to be a gunshot wound to his head. A single nine-millimetre shell casing was found at the site.

Lalla was pronounced dead by a district medical officer. An autopsy was ordered at the Forensic Science Centre, St James.

Villagers told Newsday on November 10 they were shocked by the attack.

An elderly woman, who didn't want to be identified, described Lalla and the family as some of the nicest people in the area.

"It have evil people out here. They wicked. That is wickedness of the highest," she said.

Lalla's wife declined to comment on the incident when contacted.