MEHSANA, Gujarat (Rajeev Sharma): Three relatives from Gujarat who were reportedly travelling to the United States through an alleged illegal migration route have gone missing after reaching Ethiopia, prompting their families to seek government assistance.
The missing individuals have been identified as Rutvik Jansari, from Vadsma village in Mehsana district; Mamta Chavda, originally from Mehsana and currently living in Ahmedabad; and Mayuri, a resident of Gandhinagar.
According to their relatives, the three left Gujarat on September 20 after arrangements were made through intermediaries to facilitate their journey to the US. The families now allege that the trio was detained in Ethiopia and that a ransom of ₹1 crore was demanded for their release.
The allegations have not been independently verified.
Mamta’s father, Kiritbhai Chauhan, told reporters that the family had paid approximately ₹70 lakh per person to an agent for arranging the journey. He appealed to the authorities to intervene and help bring the three back safely.
Rutvik’s grandfather, Kanubhai Jansari, separately alleged that the kidnappers had demanded ₹1 crore and claimed that the family had already paid around ₹60 lakh. He did not provide further details about the alleged transaction.
A local agent, Alpesh Panchal, also told reporters that a ransom demand of ₹1 crore had reportedly been made following the disappearance in Ethiopia.
Police in Gujarat have confirmed that the three people have been reported missing. Their whereabouts have remained unknown since September 22.
Inspector A.M. Gehlot of Langhnaj police station said Mamta’s father filed a missing-person complaint after the family was unable to contact the three.
According to police, Mamta’s husband, Chirag Kumar, had travelled to the United States on a student visa about six months earlier. Mamta had reportedly made several unsuccessful attempts to obtain a US visa before the family turned to intermediaries to arrange travel through an alleged illegal route.
Police said the reported cost of the journey was around ₹75 lakh per person. Mamta, Rutvik and Mayuri subsequently left their homes on September 20.
Gehlot said Kiritbhai last spoke with his daughter on September 22, after which communication stopped. A missing-person case was then registered when repeated attempts to establish contact failed.
The families said an agent from Mehsana had helped arrange the journey and allegedly put them in contact with another intermediary based in Vadodara.
Authorities are now expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the trio’s disappearance, trace the intermediaries involved in arranging the journey and establish whether the reported ransom demand is connected to an organised human-trafficking or illegal migration network.
