Hyderabad student missing in Finland for 45 days, parents move HC

The family has alleged inaction on the part of both the Indian Embassy in Helsinki and Finnish authorities.

Hyderabad: A BTech student from Hyderabad has been missing in Finland for over 45 days, prompting his anguished parents to move the Telangana High Court after the Indian Embassy and Finnish authorities allegedly failed to make headway in tracing him.

Gujja Manideep Reddy, a resident of Hayathnagar and a student at LUT University in Lahti, Finland, has been out of contact with his family since May 5. According to the petition filed by his parents, Gujja Marnatha and Muthyam Reddy, his last conversation with the family was when he told his mother he was at a bakery and would head back to his accommodation. He had also asked for money during that call. Since then, all attempts to reach him have failed.

The parents said Manideep’s roommates and friends in Finland were unable to provide any information about his whereabouts, and that the university administration had also not provided any concrete details despite repeated contact. With no word from their son for over a month and a half, the family approached the Telangana High Court seeking urgent intervention.

Hearing the writ petition, Justice B Vijaysen Reddy directed the Union government, the Indian Embassy in Finland and its consular wing, Telangana Police and other authorities to file their responses on the steps taken so far to trace the missing student. The matter has been posted to June 24.

The petition has sought directions to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Protector General of Emigrants and Telangana authorities to pursue diplomatic, administrative and coordinated efforts to locate Manideep and ensure his safety.

The parents also asked that Finnish authorities be directed to examine digital, financial, academic, transportation and surveillance records that could help trace him, along with periodic updates on the investigation.

Appearing for the Centre, standing counsel NVR Rajya Lakshmi told the court that a missing person case has been registered with local police in Finland and that an investigation is underway.

The family has alleged inaction on the part of both the Indian Embassy in Helsinki and Finnish authorities, contending that the delay in the search effort amounts to a violation of their son’s fundamental rights.

Distraught over the lack of progress, the parents have also reached out to political leaders for support in pressing the case forward, appealing to the government to act swiftly and bring their son home safely.

With the High Court set to take up the matter again on June 24, the family continues to wait for any sign of their son, now missing for over a month and a half in a foreign country.