New York: A family of four Indian-origin senior citizens from New York has gone missing under mysterious circumstances while travelling to a spiritual destination in West Virginia.
According to police, the group was last seen at a Burger King outlet in Pennsylvania on July 29, and their whereabouts remain unknown as the search operation intensifies.
Last Seen on CCTV, Vehicle Spotted on Interstate
The missing family members have been identified as Asha Divan (85), Kishore Divan (89), Shailesh Divan (86), and Gita Divan (84). They were travelling from Buffalo to Prabhupada’s Palace of Gold in Marshall County, West Virginia, in a 2009 lime green Toyota Camry with New York licence plate EKW2611.
Surveillance footage from the Burger King shows two members of the group entering the restaurant, and their last known credit card transaction was traced to the same location. Shortly after, a Pennsylvania State Police licence plate reader detected the vehicle heading southbound on Interstate 79 at 2:45 pm on Tuesday, officials confirmed.
“The family was headed to Pittsburgh and then on to Moundsville, West Virginia,” Marshall County Sheriff Mike Dougherty told NDTV, adding that while investigators have “a few leads,” there has been no contact or confirmed sighting since.
Search Widens, Community Appeals for Help
Law enforcement teams from Marshall and Ohio counties in West Virginia have been searching local roads for any sign of the vehicle. Helicopters are being deployed to aid in the search effort, and the vehicle details have been entered into the National Crime Information Center database.
The Council of Heritage and Arts of India (CHAI), a nonprofit organisation based in Williamsville, has also raised awareness. “Two couples who were travelling are currently missing, and we're all deeply concerned,” CHAI President Sibu Nair said, as quoted by NDTV.
Authorities are also attempting to trace the group’s cell phone signals and have urged the public to report any information. The Marshall County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 304-843-5422.
