Trinidad and Tobago: Guyanese gardener kidnapped and taken to Venezuela

Trinidad and Tobago: A 40-year-old Guyanese national and gardener residing in Barataria, has been kidnapped on Friday, February 20, from his work place prompting authorities to investigate the cross-border kidnapping. 

The victim, identified as 40-year-old Doodnath Khan, a gardner and a resident of Fourth Street, Malick, Barataria was kidnapped from his work place at a garden on Hasmath Ali Street, Aranguez and taken to Tucupita, Venezuela. 

According to Barataria police reports, on Saturday morning, February 21, the family of the victim reported and notified the officers about the incident that the victim is missing and they have received a WhatsApp call from his number demanding $200,000 ransom. 

Reportedly, the family members of the victim told the Barataria Police officers that on Friday, February 20, they last saw the victim Khan when he leaving his home to travel to work at around 7:00 a.m., in his white H100 vehicle, bearing licence plate TDM 4290.

After working late at the garden on Hasmath Ali Street in Johnny King Road, Aranguez, the victim contacted his family members at around 9:30 p.m., to tell them that he’s almost done with his work and would be home soon. 

However, he did not reach home and shortly after 4:50 a.m., on 21 February, Khan contacted his family from his own whatsapp number where he identified himself as “James” and told them that “he had been kidnapped earlier in the morning and taken to Tucupita, Venezuela.”

During that call, the victim's kidnappers demanded TT$200,000 from his family members to release him before ending the call abruptly. Following that, the victim’s family and his wife got scared and decided to contact the officials before receiving another call from the victim's number by the abductors demanding the same ransom. 

Following the report or complaint, on the same day police officials from Barataria CID and Barataria Police Station visited the place from where the victim got abducted and discovered the door of a wood and galvanized structure open. 

The officers also found stains resembling blood on the ground outside and with that they also discovered a bloody-handled cutlass, a black knapsack, a pair of blue and white slippers, and a black tie-strap at the scene  but no person was found. 

Since then, the officers launched an investigation into the matter where NED CSI Unit and the Anti-Kidnapping Unit processed the scene and canvassed the area to gather evidence. 

As the investigation continues, the officers described the victim as a male of East Indian descent, dark brown complexion, approximately 5 ft 5 in tall and about 230 lbs, is a Guyanese national who works as a gardener while urging the community to assist officers in locating the victim. 

Doodnath Khan’s family and his wife are deeply concerned for him and his safety as they did not receive any information from him or from his kidnappers from last Saturday, and no confirmed sighting has been reported since the alleged abduction.