The Telangana High Court on Thursday directed the Center and state governments to trace the whereabouts of an 18-year-old engineering student from Hyderabad who has been missing in Finland for the past 45 days, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.
Goya Mandeep Reddy, who went to Finland in 2025 to pursue engineering at Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT), had his last conversation with his family on May 5 when he went to buy some snacks from a bakery, according to his father, G Muthyam Reddy. “He asked for some money, and my wife Mamata sent it to him online. After that, he did not contact us. All our attempts to reach him since then have failed,” he added.
Muthyam Reddy told reporters that he moved the Supreme Court after all his attempts to contact the Indian embassy and Finnish authorities failed to make headway in tracking him down.
Acting on the petition filed by the parents, residents of Vaidehi Nagar Colony in Vanasthalipuram on the outskirts of Hyderabad, Justice B Vijaysen Reddy directed the Central government and Telangana Police to submit their responses on the steps taken so far to trace the missing student.
Notices have also been issued to the Indian Embassy in Helsinki, its consular wing and other concerned authorities to take note of diplomatic, administrative and other efforts to locate Mandeep Reddy. The matter has been postponed to June 24, a police officer said.
While appearing before the Union Ministry of External Affairs, Standing Counsel NVR Rajya Lakshmi told the Supreme Court that a missing person’s case has been registered with the local police in Finland and investigation is underway. She added that the ministry is following up on the matter.
According to Muthyam Reddy, information published by the Finnish police indicates that Mandeep traveled approximately 100 kilometers from his residence, which he shared with a friend, before investigators lost track of his movements. His last known location was reported to be at a K-Market store in Helsinki.
“Despite inquiries with his roommates, friends and university authorities, no reliable information has emerged regarding his whereabouts,” he added.
Muthiam Reddy also requested that the Finnish authorities be directed to examine digital, financial, academic, transportation and surveillance records that could help track him down, along with regular updates to the investigation.
