3 Gujarat residents taking illegal route to US go missing in Ethiopia, families allege kidnapping

Three Gujarat residents who allegedly left for the US through an illegal route have gone missing after reaching Ethiopia, with their families claiming they were kidnapped and that the abductors demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore for their release.

The whereabouts of the three persons—two women and a man—could not be ascertained after September 22, police said on Tuesday.

They left for the US on September 20 with the assistance of an agent from Mehsana district, who allegedly connected them with another agent from Vadodara, their relatives told reporters and demanded the government's intervention to bring them back home safely.

The three missing individuals, all related to one another, have been identified as Rutvik Jansari of Vadsma village in Mehsana, Mamta Chavda, originally from Mehsana and currently residing in Ahmedabad, and Mayuri, from the state capital Gandhinagar.

Families allege kidnapping, ransom demand

Mamta's father, Kiritbhai Chauhan, said the family had paid around Rs 70 lakh for each of the three individuals to an agent for sending them to the US.

After reaching Ethiopia in Africa, the three were held captive, and the kidnappers demanded Rs 1 crore for their release, he claimed.

"We have already paid huge money to send them (to the US). We have nothing left and are helpless. We request the government to bring our three children back safely," Chauhan said, making an emotional appeal.

Rutvik's grandfather Kanubhai Jansari also claimed that kidnappers had demanded Rs 1 crore for the release of the three persons and that Rs 60 lakh had already been paid to the abductors. He did not provide further details.

A local agent, Alpesh Panchal, told reporters that those who kidnapped the three persons in the African nation demanded a ransom of Rs 1 crore.

Police register missing persons complaint

Police said the three have been reported missing and that their whereabouts could not be ascertained after September 22.

Mamta's father lodged a missing persons complaint on Tuesday, Inspector A M Gehlot from Langhnaj police station said.

Family had sought illegal route to US

According to the complaint, Mamta's husband Chirag Kumar had gone to the US on a student visa about six months back. Mamta allegedly tried several times to obtain an American visa, but was unsuccessful, following which her family approached intermediaries to arrange her travel to the US through an illegal route, Gehlot said.

An amount of Rs 75 lakh per person was allegedly fixed for the journey, and Mamta, Rutvik and Mayuri left their homes on September 20.

"On September 22, Kiritbhai spoke to his daughter Mamta. After that, there has been no contact with her. A missing person's complaint was registered at the Langhnaj police station after family members failed to establish contact with the three," the inspector said.