Shiva CHAUHAN

 

Indian national Shiva Chauhan, who is missing since May 1, 2014, and now beleived to be deceased.

 

Shiva Chauhan, pictured at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, before he came to Melbourne  Shiva Chauhan, who is missing from Melbourne since May 2014

Police hold grave concerns for missing man Shiva Chauhan.  Shiva Chauhan went missing in 2014.

 

Shiva's van, which was found locked at Keysborough with his belongings intact, on 2 May 2014

 

 

 

 

 

  • Last seen: Sunday, 05 January 2014
  • Year of birth: 1987
  • Height: 177 cm
  • Eyes: Brown
  • Hair: Dark
  • Gender: Male

Circumstances:

Shiva CHAUHAN has not been heard from since a text message sent at 11.30pm on Thursday 1 May, 2014. Concerns for Shiva were raised after it was discovered that on Friday 2 May, he had not completed his delivery run nor did he attend an arranged meeting that afternoon.

Shiva’s delivery van was located on Hutton Road in Keysborough Victoria at around 3pm on the Friday and Shiva’s personal belongings (wallet and identification) were still inside. Despite thorough searches, there have been no confirmed sightings Shiva. Shiva is described as around 177cm tall with a dark complexion, slim build and dark coloured straight hair.

 

Fears missing man met with foul play as homicide squad heads investigation after delivery van found in Keysborough

UPDATE: THE homicide squad has taken over the investigation into the disappearance of a Melbourne delivery man.

Detectives from its missing person division are probing the disappearance of 27-year-old Shiva Chauhan.

Investigators have been told Shiva began his delivery route on Thursday night and was last heard from via text message about 11.30pm.

Concerns were raised on Friday morning when it was discovered his deliveries were not made and he had failed to turn up to an arranged meeting the same afternoon.

Shiva’s delivery van was found on Hutton Rd in Keysborough about 3pm on Friday.

A search of the area has been conducted, however there have been no sightings.

Missing person squad detectives are treating his disappearance as suspicious.

Police have released a photo of Mr Chauhan, who is described as Indian, about 177cm, with a slim build and dark. straight hair.

On the weekend, friends of Mr Chahan expressed fears he may have met with foul play.

A friend of Mr Chauhan identified only as “Andy” told Channel 9 he feared he had been “taken”.

“We personally do believe there was some sort of foul play involved,” Andy said.

“All of his personal belongings were left in the car.

“We sort of think that someone’s stopped and taken him.”

Another friend, “Jap”, described Mr Chauhan as caring.

“He loves his family too much just to do something,” he said.

“He’s always on the phone. There’s no way he would have actually switched off his phone for three days now.”

*Anyone with information about Mr Chauhan’s whereabouts is urged to phone 000 imediately.

—with AAP

 

Family of Indian man missing in Aus appeals for help Updated: Wednesday, July 30, 2014, 14:20 [IST] - One India News
Melbourne, Jul 30:

A family of a 27-year-old Indian man who has been missing since May this year has appealed for help in tracing him. Shiva Chauhan, who worked in Melbourne as a delivery man went missing on the night of May 1 after concerns were raised on his welfare when he failed to make his deliveries and did not turn up to an arranged meeting on the same day. Later, police found his silver van parked near an empty field in Keysborough with his wallet and other belongings left inside. Homicide squad are currently looking into the matter and has taken over the investigation into his disappearance.

Chauhan's brother, Dinesh, who was visiting Australia to track any information on his youngest sibling claimed there has been no further development in the case. "No clue has been found. I'm leaving Melbourne empty handed, just as I came here empty-handed," he said. "There has been no information which the police could give me," he told SBS Punjabi radio channel while appealing to the public to help the family in providing any clue about his brother. Shiva had migrated to Australia on a student visa from Punjab.

 

Eight months missing, police no closer to finding missing Indian national

 
THE homicide squad is continuing its search for a man who disappeared without a trace during a delivery run in Keysborough in May.

Shiva Chauhan, 27, has not been heard from since a text message sent at 11.30pm on May 1.

Concerns for Mr Chauhan were raised after it was discovered on May 2, he had not completed his delivery run, nor did he attend an arranged meeting that afternoon.

Mr Chauhan’s delivery van was found on Hutton Rd in Keysborough about 3pm on the Friday and his wallet and identification were still inside.

Detectives from the homocide squad have previously raised grave fears for the missing man.

There have been no confirmed sightings.

In July the man’s brother, Dinesh Chauhan, visited Australia on the hunt for clues to find Shiva.

“No clue has been found,” he lamented to SBS Punjabi radio.

“I’m leaving Melbourne empty handed, just as I came here empty-handed

“There has been no information which the police could give me.

Mr Chauhan is described as about 177cm, with a dark complexion, slim build and dark, straight hair.

If you see Mr Chauhan, or know of his whereabouts, phone Triple-0 immediately.

 

Police search Phillip Island beach for missing delivery van driver Shiva Chauhan

By Rania Spooner - The Age
Updated 

Cold-case detectives, volunteers and an interstate cadaver dog are scouring a Phillip Island beach for any trace of delivery man Shiva Chauhan, who vanished last year.

Detectives have received information that suggests Mr Chauhan may have been taken to Phillip Island in the early hours of Friday, 2 May 2014.

The well-liked bakery delivery van driver was last seen at a bakery on South Park Road, Dandenong South at about 12.20am that day.

His abandoned van turned up on Hutton Road in Keysborough about 3pm.

Cold Case and Missing Persons Squad Detective Inspector Jill Dyson, speaking at Flynns Beach, said police would not give up until they knew what had happened to Mr Chauhan.

"We've got grave concerns for Shiva's welfare," she said. "He hasn't been seen or heard from by family or by friends and we believe he may have met with foul play."

Investigators are also looking for a stolen maroon 2006 Toyota they believe may have been used to transport Mr Chauhan from his van to Phillip Island, she said.

"We do have some information to suggest he may have been brought here shortly after his disappearance."

Inspector Dyson said detectives have "some theories" about what may have motivated Mr Chauhan's disappearance, but was not yet prepared to comment further on the issue.

"We talk to people and they give us certain information but nothing is really clear as yet," she said.

"Shiva was loved very much by his family, who are all overseas waiting for answers in relation to his disappearance," Inspector Dyson said.

"His friends speak really highly of him, he just appeared to be a really good person."

 

Mr Chauhan was not known to police before his disappearance, Inspector Dyson said.

"There was absolutely nothing in his lifestyle to suggest that he would be targeted for a particular purpose," she said.

"He was just an average person going about his business ... We won't give up, we will keep searching until we find Shiva."

About 13 SES volunteers, detectives and Digger, a cadaver dog from NSW Police, are expected to continue searching an area of beach and bushland, about 700 by 300 square metres, throughout Tuesday.

Fairfax Media understands neighbouring areas including the Penguin Parade have already been excluded as potential dumping grounds.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 

Police renew search for missing delivery driver

WELL liked delivery driver Shiva Chauhan mysteriously vanished two years ago but police continue to search for answers.

WHAT happened to Shiva Chauhan?

This is a question that has been asked by many for two years and we are no closer to finding out the answers.

He was described as a “gentleman at heart” with no enemies but he mysteriously disappeared without a trace in 2014.

Police have had grave concerns for the Melbourne man since he went missing, and they believe someone out there knows exactly what happened to the 27-year-old.

Mr Chauhan was a well-liked delivery driver for a bakery and has not been heard from since he was doing a usual bread drop on May 2, 2014.

He was last seen at a bakery on South Park Road in Dandenong South about 12.30am.

It’s unclear exactly what happened to Mr Chauhan in the moments he went missing and his delivery van was found abandoned on Hutton Road in Keyborough about 3pm later that day, with his wallet and identification still inside.

In his wallet he usually carried pictures of his nephew and fiance, but strangely they were also missing.

There have however been some revelations in Mr Chauhan’s mystery disappearance, but none have led to his discovery.

Police believe a stolen 2006 Toyota Camry was involved but they have not been able to find it in the past two years.

Last February detectives also scoured Flynns Beach in Phillip Island but again, they failed to find any trace of the missing man.

“Today marks two years since Mr Chauhan’s disappearance. We are treating this as suspicious and believe someone out there knows where he is,” Victoria Police Detective Senior Sergeant Craig Rhodes said.

Sen-Sgt Rhodes said it was likely Mr Chauhan had met with foul play.

“We hold very grave concerns but our investigation will continue,” he said.

“The issue is that in two years he has not accessed any bank accounts or used his mobile phone — he’s basically disappeared off the face of the earth.”

Sen-Sgt Rhodes said police were also not able to come up with a motive.

On a Facebook page set up after Mr Chauhan’s disappearance, he is described as a man who doesn’t drink, smoke or do drugs and is said to be quiet and respectful.

Since Mr Chauhan went missing many of his friends and family have made desperate pleas to the public to help find him.

“I damn sure he is alive if anyone knows anything plz talk ur not helping him you are punishing the family (sic),” one wrote on Facebook.

“Our family is suffering each and every minute.”

In 2014 Mr Chauhan’s friend, identified as “Andy”, told Channel 9 he was concerned the young delivery driver was taken.

“We personally do believe there was some sort of foul play involved,” he said.

“We sort of think that someone’s stopped and taken him.”

Mr Chauhan was a Hindu living in Melbourne on a student working visa and SBS reports he was planning to marry his girlfriend of four years.

Detective Acting Inspector Boris Buick told SBS last year it didn’t appear to be a random abduction.

“We believe that certainly Shiva disappeared because of something in his personal background,” he said.

“He’s come to stop where he’s stopped, potentially by being pulled over — perhaps by someone that he knew — or recognised someone that he knew.”

To mark the two-year anniversary since the disappearance, Victoria Police are renewing calls for information about Mr Chauhan’s last known movements and the stolen Camry police have failed to uncover.

Mr Chauhan is Indian and 177cm tall with a slim build and dark, straight hair.

The stolen Camry believed to be linked to Mr Chauhan’s disappearance was a 2006 model maroon sedan with registration plates that read ULO 972.

Police are looking for a stolen 2006 Toyota Camry. Picture: Victoria Police

 

Anyone with information or who may have seen Mr Chauhan’s delivery van or the stolen maroon sedan in the Dandenong, Keysborough or Phillip Island areas on Friday 2 May 2014 is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au

 

Still no sign of Shiva Chauhan, four years after he went missing from Melbourne

Four years on, the family of Shiva Chauhan is still desperate to get any information about what happened in May 2014, as he went missing during his routine delivery run in Melbourne's South Eastern suburbs. "Can someone please tell us what happened," pleaded Dinesh Chauhan, Shiva's elder brother, in an interview with SBS Punjabi.

Shiva Chauhan has been missing from Melbourne since the night of May 1, 2014. Back then, he was 27 years old. 

He worked as a delivery man at a bakery in the south eastern suburbs of Melbourne, and his abandoned van was recovered by police on Friday May 2 at Keysborough. 

Four years later, Shiva's family back in India is still waiting for answers and against the odds, has kept its hopes alive. 

His older brother Dinesh Chauhan told SBS Punjabi this week, "We haven't heard any new information from Victoria Police in the last two years. Nothing.  

"If only they could understand how hard it is for the family affected - my elderly parents are always in tears, but my sister and I keep consoling them, saying don't worry, he'll definitely come back. 

"My question is, if Shiva is alive, then why hasn't he called us or contacted us? He could have called any one of his friends - and he is the sort of person who would call the family very regularly.

"He was the youngest of all siblings - like the baby of our family. He was much smarter than me, much more handsome than me. He even kept my son's photo in his wallet at all times."

Dinesh Chauhan had visited Melbourne in July 2014, weeks after his brother had mysteriously disappeared.

Police had regarded Shiva's disappearance as suspicious and the Homicide Squad had taken over the investigation almost immediately.

A public campaign, an announcement of a reward and even an intensive search near Phillip Island a year later revealed no further clues.

Speaking to SBS Punjabi in May 2015, Detective Senior Sergeant Boris Buick from the Homicide Cold Case and Missing Persons Unit of Victoria Police had said, "We conducted a search in Phillip Island (near the Penguin parade area) to find the body of Shiva", confirming that Victoria Police believed that Shiva "was now deceased."

But the Chauhan family is hoping against hope.

"We will keep our hopes alive until we know for sure," Dinesh Chauhan has repeatedly said to SBS Punjabi.

Speaking again this week, Dinesh said, "When I was in Melbourne four years ago, I had given my full statement to Victoria Police - but they still haven't addressed the points I had raised. I even told them who we suspected, gave them names and everything, but I don't know if those people were even questioned."

In an additional twist to the tale, Shiva was said to be romantically involved with a young woman of Afghani origin and it was feared that 'cultural conflict' could have been responsible for Shiva's disappearance.

Victoria Police had also acknowledged this in an interview with SBS Punjabi in 2015, and had appealed to the Afghani community to help solve the case. 

When SBS Punjabi contacted Victoria Police again to for an update on Shiva's case, a spokesperson said, "There is no change or update to this investigation since our last public appeal in 2016."

"It remains ongoing and we continue to ask anyone with information to contact Crime Stoppers," they added.

If anyone has any information relating to this case please ring Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.