Indore (Madhya Pradesh): It’s been about a month since the 21-year-old Ojasvi Gupta disappeared from NIT Trichy. While hopeful about her return, the family is struggling on multiple fronts as her father is bedridden and her brother has left his job in search of his sister. Once filled with laughter, their home now echoes with silence and grief with each passing day deepening the despair, as they wait for a miracle.
Ojasvi had gone missing on September 15 after dropping a four-page note mentioning torture, mental harassment and discrimination at the college and her whereabouts remain a mystery. Ojasvi, the pride of her family has now left behind a void that casts a dark shadow over their lives. Her father, Nutesh Gupta, who was once sturdy and full of life, has now become bedridden.
Worrying about the safety of his missing daughter, he got a high fever which soon turned into a severe illness and he started feeling helpless. The family has not celebrated any festivals for the past month including Navratri and Dussehra as days turned into weeks and with no sign of Ojasvi, fear, desperation, grief are writ large on their faces. Her mother has been spending her days in the temple, praying for her daughter’s safe return.
The once vibrant home has fallen into silence. Each day brings new challenges for the family, both emotionally and financially. The once united Gupta family now feels like a shell of its former self, broken by the weight of uncertainty and the agonising wait for a phone call, a clue or any sign that Ojasvi might still be out there. Her father Nutesh said that the only thing he wants is for his daughter to return home safely. “If she did not want to study, don’t study, just return home. I don’t blame anyone for her disappearance, I want my daughter back,” said Nutesh.
Life on hold
Ojasvi’s elder brother, Palash, has put his life on hold to help the search for his younger sister. Working in an IT company, he initially took a leave of absence to help the police with the investigation. But as days passed without any breakthroughs, he did not return to his job. Ojasvi’s safety is now his only priority. Palash has taken it upon himself to conduct his own investigation, scrutinising Ojasvi’s friends and social media accounts, desperate for any clue that could lead to her. Despite his tireless efforts, a month has passed and there is still no word.
Financial hardship
Her father Nutesh said that the growing costs of maintaining the search for Ojasvi in Trichy have pushed the family into financial hardship. His son who is the only breadwinner in the family of six has left his job to search for his sister. The family is visiting Trichy at its expense but is not getting any leads to find their daughter.
