Three Gujaratis Returned To India After Being On US ‘Dunki’ Route

MEHSANA-Three Gujarat residents who went missing in Ethiopia while attempting to reach the United States through an illegal migration route have returned to India and are on their way to Mehsana, police said on October 1.

Rutvik Jansari, Mamta Chavda and Mayuri left Gujarat on September 20 after paying agents tens of lakhs of rupees to facilitate their journey to the US.

Police have reportedly identified the alleged abductors as being linked to the “Baba Khan network”, though the matter remains under investigation.

The three had travelled through Jaipur and Abu Dhabi before reaching Ethiopia. Their families lost contact with them after September 22, following which Mamta Chavda’s father, Kirit Chauhan, approached the Langhnaj police.

According to the complaint, Mamta’s husband, Chiragkumar, had travelled to the US around six months earlier on a student visa.

Mamta had applied for a US visa six times but was unsuccessful, following which the family approached intermediaries to arrange her travel through an illegal route.

Gehlot said the family initially approached a person identified as Jitubhai, who connected them with Mehsana-based agent Alpesh Patel. Alpesh subsequently put them in touch with Vadodara-based agent Bhargav Patel.

The cost of the journey was allegedly fixed at around Rs 75 lakh per person, while family members had earlier told reporters that they paid around Rs 70 lakh per person to the agents.

After the trio reached Ethiopia, a man identifying himself as “Khan” allegedly contacted the family and demanded Rs 1 crore for their release.

Rutvik’s grandfather, Kanubhai Jansari, had claimed that Rs 60 lakh was paid after the three were allegedly taken captive, but the demand for Rs 1 crore continued.

The families subsequently sought government intervention for their safe return.

The case is the latest involving Gujaratis attempting to reach the US through illegal migration routes.

In January 2022, a family of four from Dingucha in Gandhinagar district froze to death while attempting to cross from Canada into the US. In 2023, a Mehsana family drowned in the St Lawrence River during a similar attempt.

In May 2025, a Mehsana family was among those on a boat that capsized off the California coast while attempting to enter the US from Mexico. (IANS)