Three residents of Gujarat who were travelling towards the United States through an alleged illegal migration route have gone missing in Ethiopia, with their families claiming that they were abducted and that a ransom of ₹1 crore has been demanded for their release.
The missing individuals have been identified as Rutvik Jansari, Mamta Chavda and Mayuri, who are associated with Mehsana and Gandhinagar. According to the complaint filed with Gujarat Police, the three left India on September 20 with the assistance of travel agents and were last in contact with their families on September 22.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the risks faced by people attempting to reach the United States through unauthorised international migration networks, particularly routes that involve multiple countries and intermediaries.
Three left Gujarat on September 20
According to information provided by the families to the police, the three individuals had approached agents after facing difficulties in obtaining a visa for travel to the United States.
Mamta Chavda’s father, Kiritbhai Chauhan, told police that agents had offered to arrange the journey for approximately ₹70 lakh per person. The group reportedly travelled from India to Abu Dhabi via Jaipur before continuing towards Ethiopia.
Their families subsequently lost contact with them. The last communication was reportedly received on September 22, after which attempts to reach the three were unsuccessful.
The circumstances surrounding their disappearance in Ethiopia remain under investigation.
Family receives ransom demand
The situation took a more serious turn after a man identifying himself as “Khan” allegedly contacted the families and demanded ₹1 crore for the release of the three missing persons.
The families have alleged that the three were being held captive. However, the exact circumstances of their disappearance, the identity of the person who allegedly made the ransom demand and the location where the three may be held have not been publicly established.
Rutvik Jansari’s grandfather, Kanubhai, said the family had already paid ₹60 lakh after learning that the three had allegedly been taken captive. Despite the payment, the alleged abductors continued to demand ₹1 crore, according to the family.
Police begin investigation
Following the loss of contact and the alleged ransom demand, the family approached Gujarat Police and lodged a missing persons complaint.
Inspector A M Ghelot said police were investigating the circumstances under which the three individuals went missing. Investigators are expected to examine the travel arrangements, the role of the agents involved and the communications received by the families.
The case also involves an international dimension because the three are believed to have travelled through multiple countries before reaching Ethiopia. Establishing their exact movements and present whereabouts may require coordination between Indian authorities and agencies in the countries involved.
Concerns over illegal migration routes
The case has once again highlighted the dangers associated with illegal migration networks used by people seeking to reach countries such as the United States through unofficial routes.
Such journeys can involve several intermediaries, large financial payments and complicated travel arrangements across different countries. Migrants may be exposed to risks including exploitation, detention, trafficking, fraud and physical danger during transit.
Gujarat has previously witnessed several incidents involving families attempting to travel abroad through hazardous or unauthorised routes.
In October 2025, four people, including a couple from Gandhinagar, were reportedly travelling towards Australia when they were allegedly held captive in Tehran. They were later released and returned to India following government intervention.
Another serious incident occurred in May 2025, when members of a Gujarat family attempting to enter the United States from Mexico were among people travelling on a boat that capsized off the coast of California.
Earlier, in January 2022, a family of four from Dingucha in Gandhinagar died from exposure while attempting to cross the Canada-US border during severe winter conditions. A year later, another family from Mehsana drowned in the St Lawrence River during an attempted journey to the United States.
Previous cases expose risks of agent-led migration
The latest case also comes amid repeated concerns over agents charging large sums to facilitate overseas journeys through complex migration routes.
In December 2023, French authorities stopped a charter flight travelling from Dubai to Nicaragua after authorities raised concerns about the passengers and the circumstances surrounding their journey. More than 300 Indian nationals were reportedly on board, including dozens from Gujarat.
These incidents have highlighted how people seeking to migrate overseas can become dependent on networks of agents and intermediaries. Families may pay substantial sums based on promises of arranging travel, visas or onward movement, while the actual route may involve countries and conditions that were not initially disclosed to them.
In the present case, investigators will need to determine whether the three Gujarat residents were deliberately taken to Ethiopia as part of an organised migration network, whether they were subsequently abducted and who, if anyone, is responsible for the alleged ransom demand.
For the families of Rutvik Jansari, Mamta Chavda and Mayuri, the immediate priority remains locating the three and securing their safe return. The police investigation is expected to establish the sequence of events following their departure from India and determine what happened after their last communication on September 22.