Missing autistic teenager 'spotted' after 3 months

Tarun Gupta

Three months after Vinod Gupta's hopes were dashed when a tip that his missing son Tarun had been spotted in Ahmedabad came to naught, he finally saw another glimmer of hope this month as multiple reports and tips started pouring in with people claiming to have spotted Tarun in Gujarat and Nashik. Callers said he was seen asking for food. Tarun had disappeared from outside his home last October when he went to watch a rally.

Also read: Looking For Tarun Gupta. Chapter 2

Vinod has taken it upon himself to find his son who went missing on October 1, 2019, after he got mixed in an election rally that was passing by his residence in Colaba. Since the beginning of November, Vinod received multiple calls regarding sightings of Tarun. Vinod has pasted posters of him on roads, trains, dhabas and petrol pumps in and around Maharashtra.

Vinod Gupta with his wife at their residence. File pic

"I received at least three calls claiming that Tarun had been spotted between Surat and Ankleshwar, and that he was asking for food," Vinod told mid-day. "Shortly after, we received another call wherein the person claimed that Tarun was seen outside the Shirdi Sai Dham Mandir in Kopargaon near Nashik during the lockdown. The person said Tarun was seen eating outside the temple that is known for distributing free food."

About 10 days ago, Vinod, accompanied by a friend, left for Surat in search of Tarun. "We drove between Virar and Surat for three days, but there were no signs of Tarun. We then went towards Kopergaon but didn't find him there too."

They returned to Mumbai on Saturday night. "We will rest for a week and then head out on the Surat-Bhuj route as this is the only one that we haven't covered yet. Later, we will go towards Rajasthan. Most of Tarun's sightings have come from the Ahmedabad route, so we need to search that area."

When asked about assistance local police station where a missing person complaint was filed over a year ago, or from the Railway Protection Force (RPF) whose officers had shifted Tarun from one train to another in the immediate aftermath of his disappearance, Vinod said: "I have hand delivered letters, couriered and emailed officers, politicians, and Railway Protection Force officers, but no one is ready to extend any kind of help."

Oct 1
Day Tarun Gupta went missing from Colaba

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