Telangana Engineering Student Missing in Finland for 45 Days, Family Appeals for Help
More than 45 days after 18-year-old engineering student Manideep Reddy Gujja from Hayathnagar in Rangareddy, Telangana, went missing in Finland, his family continues to await answers as efforts to trace him remain underway.
Mr. Manideep, who moved to Finland in 2025 to pursue engineering studies at LUT University in Lappeenranta, was last in contact with his family on May 5. According to his parents, he informed his mother that he was at a bakery and would return to his accommodation shortly. He has not been heard from since, and his mobile phone has remained switched off.
The disappearance has sparked concern among family members, friends and members of the Telangana diaspora, with social media campaigns and public appeals launched to gather information. His parents have repeatedly sought intervention from Indian and Finnish authorities, urging them to intensify search efforts.
Family members said that there was nothing unusual in his behaviour before he went missing. According to them, he was in regular contact with his parents and had spoken to his mother shortly before his disappearance. They have maintained that he did not indicate any personal, academic or financial difficulties during those conversations.
After losing contact with him, the family alerted Finnish authorities and later sought assistance from the Indian Embassy. The case has since been taken up by local police in Finland, who have reportedly been examining available digital and physical leads.
The family’s relatives have said they travelled to Finland and met officials involved in the search effort. The family has repeatedly expressed concern over the lack of concrete information regarding his whereabouts and has sought greater involvement from Indian authorities.
The issue has also drawn political attention. On June 21, 2026, K. T. Rama Rao met Mr. Manideep’s parents and appealed to the Ministry of External Affairs, the Indian Embassy in Finland and Telangana authorities to take urgent measures to locate the student. He said the family had been waiting for information for several weeks and called for coordinated efforts to trace him.
Meanwhile, Mr. Manideep’s parents approached the Telangana High Court seeking directions to authorities to strengthen efforts to locate their son. Hearing the petition, Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy directed the Union government to file its response regarding the steps taken in the matter. The petition seeks enhanced coordination between Indian authorities and Finnish agencies and regular updates for the family.
According to the family, the circumstances surrounding Manideep’s disappearance remain unclear. With no confirmed sightings reported since May 5, concerns have continued to grow as the search enters its seventh week. The matter is expected to come up for further hearing before the High Court after the Centre files its response, while efforts to trace the student continue in Finland.
