Cyril Joseph Fernandes from Dahisar was last captured on CCTV near Hotel Fountain at Ghodbunder Road walking towards Bhayandar
Cyril Fernandes with his wife
Amid the Corona pandemic, Dahisar resident Cyril Joseph Fernandes went missing from his home five days ago when he stepped out to buy bread on the morning of May 11.
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The Fernandes family has been shocked by his sudden disappearance and has filed a missing person complaint at MHB police Station in Borivli.
Cyril, who used to work overseas in the Gulf for 30 years, was wearing a white half-sleeved shirt with blue lines and black pants when he left home around 7 am on May 11. "Before the lockdown, his morning routine mostly included going to the church and then buying some bread, groceries on his way back," his daughter Rebecca said. "This was his habit. We also don't have anyone coming in for garbage disposal so we have to put out our garbage personally; he would do that too on some days. When he didn't return home at his regular time, my mother got worried and sent my brothers out to look for him. When we couldn't find him, we reached out to MHB police station and filed a missing person complaint."
The missing person poster of Cyril Fernandes that his family has put out
However, scanning CCTV footage with the help of the police was no easy task as the link appeared to break due to CCTV cameras not working in some spots due to Metro work or private property hindrance. However, in the few places that he was spotted on camera, he seemed to be walking alone, "which rules out the possibility of foul play," said Cyril's son Randall Fernandes, adding that his father was seen on the camera in front of D-mart at 7 am and then on the left camera at 7:14 am, followed by Dahisar Bridge (Pramila Nagar) between 7:25 am and 7:27 am. He was then spotted on CCTV at Anand Nagar at 7:40 am, 7:48 am, and then at the Check Naka towards Mira Road opposite Hotel Fountain at 7:59 am. "At the Fountain Hotel police check post, he is seen walking towards Bhayander-Vasai-Virar," said Rebecca who added that the trail goes cold after Fountain Hotel. "He doesn't usually visit that area when he goes for a walk," she said, adding that they had also checked civic hospitals for unclaimed bodies, although it was tough to physically carry out the search for him since movement is restricted." Both the siblings said that there was no domestic issue in their home. "He has never done this to us. This has put us in a real shock," Rebecca said, adding, "The police have been helpful but they are too swamped because of lockdown duties." Randall said: "I am not aware if something was troubling him. We are looking up CCTV footage along the highway to trace his whereabouts."
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