Hyderabad: In their home in a quiet Hayathnagar neighbourhood, Mamta Reddy and G Muthyam Reddy, sit in silence. The toll of the grief of being unable to connect with their son- 18 -year-old Manideep Reddy Gujja pursuing his engineering from the University of Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT), for 45 days, is hard to miss. But equally palpable is the parents’ determination to keep fighting, to bring the teenager home.And this despite being met with little hope over the last one month from authorities both in India Finland. Speaking to TOI, the parents claimed that until the Telangana high court, on June 17, stepped in and sought an action-taken report from the Centre and state authorities on the matter, little had moved on the ground.The next hearing in the case is posted to June 24.Manideep went missing on May 4, moments after he last spoke to his mother. Based on the information received from the Finnish police, confirmed by his parents, Manideep was at a gathering with his friends and had requested for 6000inr before his last communication. The money was transferred to his account, but wasn’t used, showed the bank transactions. Preliminary investigation by the Finnish police revealed that he travelled 100 km away from his living quarters – that he shared with another friend – but could not be tracked beyond that.“We first reached out for help to the Consular Services Management System (MADAD) of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), on May 12. But we have not been updated with any information till date. Even the investigation has not moved a needle from his last known location at a K-Market in Helsinki,” said his mother, claiming that the Indian authorities – including a Union minister – have failed to help.“We have made endless attempts to reach authorities both in India and Finland. We have written emails every single day to different officials, ministers and police. But most have not even acknowledged the receipt of those letters,” a distraught Mamta said sitting in the living room where the walls are decorated with medals, certificates, and photographs of Manideep.In fact, the parents have applied for a Finnish visa which too is yet to be issued. “We find ourselves in a helpless situation and it feels like we are fighting against our own people here,” said Manideep’s 15-year-old brother, desperate for Manideep to return so that they can watch anime together and indulge in some online games – something they both enjoyed doing together.The family, through TOI, appealed to the MEA, and the Finnish police to act swiftly and give them clarity on the situation instead of being unresponsive, and keeping them hanging with no hope.“Each passing day leaves us searching for another person to contact, another office to approach, another lead to follow in the hope of bringing our son back home,” said his father, fighting back his tears.
