by Darryl Heeralal 12.JAN.07

TRINIDAD – Tota Harricharan had a choice of remaining imprisoned or escape and risk getting lost and endangering himself in the forest, when his kidnappers fell asleep on Saturday. He decided to take his chances in the forest, braving whatever dangers came his way.

The businessman walked for almost 24 hours, managing to stumble his way out of the Carapo forest, dehydrated, hungry and traumatised.{{more}}

Around 4.30 am Sunday, having walked and walked, he reached the Churchill/Roosevelt Highway near the National Quarries head office.

Harricharan, 37, flagged down a car and the driver took him to the Arima Police Station. Police then took him to the Arima District Hospital for a medical check- up.

Harricharan, whose father owns a sprawling christophene plantation on the Arima Old Road, Blanchisseuse, was kidnapped on Old Year’s Night.

The father of three was kidnapped when he went to rescue nearby relatives who were being robbed. Two days later, the kidnappers made a $5 million ransom. Police traced the ransom call, made on a mobile telephone, to an area in the Blanchisseusse forest.

Lawmen searched the area and found a camp where they believed the kidnappers were hiding out.

Harricharan’s burnt-out car was later found off a track in the Heights of Guanapo.

Yesterday, he told police that he was beaten by the kidnappers. (Trinidad Express)