Highlights
- Ten years after his disappearance from Melbourne, there is still no trace of Shiva Chauhan.
- Victoria Police confirm Shiva's case remains open, with no new leads despite significant efforts.
- Each year, Australia sees over 38,000 missing persons reports, with around 2,600 missing long-term.
Shiva Chauhan was happily preparing to return to India, but on the night of 1 May in 2014, he seemed to vanish without a trace. The Homicide Squad has been investigating, but no progress has been reported yet.
A decade has passed, yet his disappearance remains a mystery. With his case remaining unsolved, his family is still searching for answers.
Shiva's van, which was found locked at Keysborough on 2 May, 2014, with his belongings intact. Credit: Victoria Police
Dinesh said he firmly believed Shiva was kidnapped, but the absence of concrete evidence only added to the family's agony.
The situation was made worse by the lack of updates from the investigating authorities, he said.
"The police haven’t given us regular updates for the past seven-eight years," Dinesh said.
Police continue to investigate
Recently, SBS Punjabi contacted Victoria Police for any updates on Shiva's case. In their official statement, they said, "the investigation by the Missing Persons Squad into the disappearance of Shiva Chauhan in 2014 remains open".
Shiva, a 27-year-old delivery man, began his route on the evening of Thursday, 1 May, 2014.
He was last seen at a bakery on South Park Road, Dandenong South, around 12:30 am on Friday, 2 May.
Concerns were raised later that morning when it was discovered that his deliveries were not made and he had missed an arranged meeting that afternoon.
Police description of missing Indian national Shiva Chauhan Credit: Vic Pol
"Despite a significant investigation over the past 10 years, Shiva has not been located and no one has been charged with his disappearance.
"Our thoughts remain with Shiva’s family on this anniversary. Any new information provided to police will be thoroughly investigated."
Despite having no clues, the Chauhan family refuses to give up.
All of us believe that one day he will come back home to us.Dinesh Chauhan
"My mother and father are quite old and have health problems and Shiva's disappearance has taken a toll on them, they still hope that Shiva will return," Dinesh said.
As their search for answers entered its second decade, the Chauhan family's plea for information has become more urgent. "If anyone knows where he is, please contact us," Dinesh said.
Thousands remain missing in Australia
According to the , more than 38,000 missing persons reports are received by police in Australia each year.
While most people are found within a short period, there remain approximately 2,600 long-term missing persons, those who have been missing for more than three months.
Missing persons’ cases are investigated by state and territory police.
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