American Dream Turns Nightmare: 3 Gujarat Residents Go Missing In Ethiopia, Rs 1 Crore Ransom Alleged

Three Gujarat residents attempting to reach the US through an alleged illegal migration route have gone missing in Ethiopia, with their families claiming they were kidnapped and that Rs 1 crore was demanded for their release.

The missing persons have been identified as Rutvik Jansari, 23, of Vadsma village in Mehsana, Mamta Chavda, 30, originally from Mehsana and now living in Ahmedabad, and Mayuri Solanki, 27, of Gandhinagar. The three are relatives and left Gujarat on September 20 with the help of intermediaries.

According to reports citing the families and local agent Alpesh Panchal, the trio travelled from Gujarat to Jaipur before flying to Abu Dhabi and then reaching Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. They reportedly stayed at a facility identified as a GSF camp on Swaziland Street and had Ethiopian e-visas valid from September 19 to October 19.

The family was allegedly told that the three had reached Canada and would subsequently travel to the US. Mamta reportedly spoke to her father, Kiritbhai Chauhan, on September 22. There has been no contact with the trio since then.

The family subsequently received a call from a man identifying himself as “Khan”, who allegedly demanded Rs 1 crore for their release. Rutvik's grandfather, Kanubhai Jansari, claimed that Rs 60 lakh had already been paid to the alleged abductors.

The families reportedly paid agents between Rs 60 lakh and Rs 75 lakh per person for the journey. Panchal also confirmed that a ransom demand had allegedly been made.

Police have so far registered the matter as a missing-person case. Inspector A M Gehlot of Langhnaj police station said Mamta's father lodged the complaint after the families failed to establish contact with the three.

Police are investigating the trio's movements after they reached Ethiopia and examining the role of the intermediaries involved in arranging their journey.

There is no independent confirmation so far that the three were kidnapped, and their whereabouts remain unknown. Their families have appealed to the government to intervene and ensure their safe return.