The Indian Embassy and local authorities in Israel are continuing their search for Biju Kurian, a farmer from Kerala who has gone missing in the country.
Biju, a native Kannur, was part of a 28-member Kerala government’s delegation of farmers, sent to Israel to study state-of-the-art techniques such as hydroponics and precision farming there.
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Went missing hours before return to India
However, he went missing from the delegation’s hotel on February 17, a day before they were set to return to India.
“He left the hotel stating that he needed to buy medicines and did not come back,” another farmer who was part of the delegation said.
They also said that Biju had kept a distance from other members of the delegation throughout the trip and he had converted Rs 50,000 to Israel currency.
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Spoke about high wages in Israel
He was reportedly intrigued after learning that sanitation workers in Israel were getting paid as much as Rs 15,000 a day and the wages for farm workers were even higher.
It is believed that Biju fled from the hotel, hoping to find work on some farm there.
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When he failed to return, State Agriculture secretary B Ashok reported the matter to the local police, the Indian Embassy, and the Kerala government.
Told family to stop looking for him
His family in Kannur is also clueless about his mysterious disappearance and is making desperate attempts to contact him.
While his phone has since remained switched off, Biju’s wife said she got a WhatsApp message from him saying he was safe and that the family shouldn’t be looking for him.
Biju paid for his flight ticket
Though it was a government-sponsored trip, some of them, including Biju, had paid for their flight tickets.
“He was included in the delegation after the agriculture officer of the department examined whether Biju has satisfied the stipulated criteria with regard to the details of farmland he owns, among others, to make it to the trip. Biju paid for his ticket,” Kerala Agriculture Minister P Prasad said.
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Kerala govt seeks his deportation
Following his disappearance, the Kerala government said it will inform the Indian Embassy in Israel to cancel Biju’s visa, which is valid till May 18 and deport him.
Despite Israel’s law enforcement agencies’ best efforts to trace him, Biju’s whereabouts were not known.
“We have registered a police case against him. He will be deported once we nab him,” an official said.
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