Daijiworld Media Network - Madikeri (SP)

Madikeri, Oct 13: Their son had gone mysteriously missing 14 years back. The couple, who have been hankering for their missing son, are optimistic that Ramesh, jailed in Pakistan, is their son and he will be able to join them soon.

Yashwant, son of P M Kushlalppa and Meenakshi couple from Kaikeri in Kodagu, had gone missing from Mysuru in the year 2006. He was 18 then. The couple has been claiming that a picture of a youth jailed in Pakistan they have got is that of their missing son. Efforts to prove the identity through DNA tests are going on. But because of hostilities between the two countries, these efforts are not giving any results.

Yashwant was studying in Kaveri Polytechnic College at Gonikolppal when he was taken out of the college because of poor attendance and admitted into Janashikshana institute at Musuru. He had later joined for a job at Mysuru. In course of time, contact with Yashwant became less as the youth was disinterested in being close to parents. He did not receive their calls. The parents kept waiting. After finding that there was no trace of their son, in 2007, they filed a missing complaint in Mysuru.

Meanwhile, the parents saw the photo of a youth held in captivity at Pakistan which was circulated by the media. The parents, who found that one of them resembled Yashwant, strongly believe that he is their son. They have filed suit in the high court, and got favourable verdict.

The youth who the couple says is Yashwant, was found sleeping in a park at Lahore. He gave his name as Ramesh but did not give names of his parents. Because of confusion about names, the efforts to get him back have faced hitches. It is not known how Ramesh, who is currently in Lahore jail, reached Pakistan. When Sushma Swaraj was the external affairs minister, she had taken interest in the case. Currently, correspondence is on to confirm him as Indian, and to find his close relatives through medical tests. MLA K G Bopaiah, MP Pratap Simha, union minister D V Sadananda Gowda etc have taken up the issue with the central government. The parents are trying to bring some pressure on Pakistan through Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Advocate C N Srinivas Rao, has received official communication that deputy secretary of external affairs ministry, Shweta Singh, is engaged in correspondence with Pakistan in this matter. The ministry said that it has to be established that the youth is an Indian, and permission of Pakistan is awaited. Permission is sought to send a medical team from India to Pakistan.

The high court had asked the government to get Yashwant released from Pakistan and file report in the court. A team from here went there and saw that he has psychological disorders. His punishment period is also over, says high court advocate Srinivas Rao.