Ethiopia Migration Route Under Scrutiny as 3 Kidnapped Indians Return Home

Three people from Gujarat who were allegedly kidnapped in Ethiopia while attempting to reach the United States through an illegal migration route have returned to India after intervention by the government, police confirmed. The case is a warning for anyone considering irregular overland routes to North America.

Key facts

• The travellers — Rutvik Jansari, Mamta Chavda and Mayuri — reached Mumbai airport at 3 a.m. and were heading to their home in Gujarat's Mehsana district.
• Their return was arranged with the help and coordination of the Ministry of External Affairs and other local authorities.
• The journey reportedly cost about Rs 75 lakh per person, though relatives said they had paid around Rs 70 lakh each.
• A man identifying himself as Khan demanded Rs 1 crore for the group's release.
• Police suspect the alleged kidnappers were linked to the Baba Khan network; the investigation is continuing.

Who were the travellers and where did they go?

The three left Gujarat after allegedly paying intermediaries millions of rupees to organise a journey to the United States along a route commonly called the "dunki" route. They travelled through Jaipur and Abu Dhabi before reaching Ethiopia, where their families lost contact with them.

Mamta's father, Kirit Chauhan, filed a police complaint after contact broke down, according to Langhnaj Police Inspector Ankush Gehlot.

Why did they use an irregular route?

The complaint states that Mamta's husband, Chiragkumar, had gone to the United States on a student visa about six months earlier. After six unsuccessful attempts to obtain a US visa, Mamta's family allegedly turned to intermediaries to arrange an alternative way to travel.

Police said the family first contacted a person identified as Jitubhai, who introduced them to Mehsana-based agent Alpesh Patel. Alpesh then connected them with Bhargav Patel of Vadodara.

What happened in Ethiopia?

After the group reached Ethiopia, a man calling himself Khan contacted their families and demanded Rs 1 crore for their release. Rutvik's grandfather, Kanubhai Jansari, said the family had already paid Rs 60 lakh after the three were taken captive, but the kidnappers kept asking for more money.

The families eventually sought help from the government, which led to the safe return of all three travellers.

Have similar incidents happened before?

The case underlines the dangers of illegal migration routes used by some Gujarat residents trying to enter the United States. Earlier attempts have ended in tragedy: a family of four from Gujarat's Dingucha village froze to death while trying to cross the Canadian border into the United States in 2022, and in 2023 a family from Mehsana drowned in the St. Lawrence River during a similar attempt. Another Mehsana family was aboard a boat that capsized off the California coast while trying to enter the United States from Mexico in 2025.

What this means for travellers

The reported kidnapping, ransom demands and deaths on earlier attempts show the risks faced on irregular routes to the United States. Travellers should weigh those dangers before paying anyone to arrange undocumented travel.

Police say the investigation into the alleged kidnapping, the ransom demands and the involvement of the agents who organised the journey is ongoing.