Horrified by news that their teacher Keston Mahabir had been abducted in broad daylight, students of Keston’s Educational Institute wept yesterday as they waited on news about his whereabouts.
Fearful of hearing the worst, some students spent hours offering moral support to Mahabir’s siblings at their home at Pitiman Trace, Mc Bean Village, Couva.
Mahabir, 26, a graduate of the University of T&T, has spent the last five years teaching mathematics, English and human and social biology at his private establishment. He was expected to take up a teaching position at the University of the West Indies from September.
A total of 73 pupils were enrolled at the school and Mahabir was in the process of getting it registered by the Ministry of Education.
Speaking at the family’s home yesterday, Mahabir’s sister, Melissa Riley, said some time before noon two women arrived at their residence to discuss registration of the institute, located behind Mahabir’s home.
Noting he had been making arrangements to register his school officially, Riley said she and his fiancé left Mahabir as he went with the women to the back of the house, where the school is located.
She said a while after the women arrived, a cousin came home and went to the back of the house to find the classroom in disarray and the two women who had come to Mahabir hiding in an adjoining room.
When the cousin alerted other family members and they went to find out what had happened to their loved one, the two women had disappeared.
Riley said they had heard nothing from Mahabir while he was with the women, not even a scream, leading her to believe the women were part of the abduction.
“I don’t know who they are and if they had identification. I don’t know what was said because my brother walked out to speak to them. I was inside when my cousin Zwade came running here saying they just kidnap Keston,” Riley said.
Riley said they later learned, from viewing CCTV footage, that while Mahabir was engaged with the women, a silver Tiida pulled up and two men got out, went inside, grabbed Mahabir and shoved him inside the car and sped off.
The silver Tiida was driven out of Pitiman Trace and proceeded out of Sonny Ladoo Road, before exiting the Southern Main Road.
Mahabir’s fiance, Shereeza Mohammed, broke down in tears when she heard the news.
“I just want to know that he is returned to us. I want him back home. I miss him and I am worried that he will never come back,” Mohammed sobbed.
She said Mahabir had a gift for teaching and most of his students got distinctions.
She said he studied engineering at UTT but had spent most of his adult life teaching classes because he loved teaching.
One of his students, Jeremy Antoine, said he had four-hour classes which were fun and informative.
“Everyone wanted to be enrolled in this school. It was competition because his classes were exciting. He loved to make jokes and he always had a drive to make sure that every student did well,” Antoine added.
Police spotted the getaway vehicle hours later in California, intercepted it and arrested the occupants. Up to press time, however, no ransom call was made and Mahabir was still missing. Officers said they were pursuing several leads and intend to question the relative of a student.
Anyone with information on Mahabir’s whereabouts can contact Crime Stoppers at 800 TIPS.
Investigations are continuing.