Dubai: Having a child go missing is one of the worst possible nightmares for a parent. For Emirati father Esmail Al Hosani that nightmare has been a reality for the past week in India.
His fears are doubled as his 19-year-old son suffers from epilepsy and is lost in a city he is unfamiliar with. Khalid has been missing since October 12 in Bengaluru, formally known as Bangalore, after he asked his father to leave their hotel room.
The father and son were staying in the city as Khalid received treatment for his epilepsy. Since Esmail reported his son missing last Friday, Indian and UAE authorities have been using all their resources to search for the missing teenager.
Gulf News readers, both in the UAE and in India, have also offered endless support and words of encouragement to the struggling family through the newspaper’s website, on email and Facebook page. Babloo Ramisetty, who is currently in Bengaluru for a holiday, has offered to help with Khalid’s search.
He said: “I am quite distressed after reading about Khalid. All I can do is pray and hope he is safe. I do, however, offer my help to Esmail. I am quite free and can drive him to wherever he wants to go in search of Khalid. The least I can do is to ensure he has a support system within Bengaluru.”
Another reader has assured the Al Hosani family that he has shared the information about Khalid with a volunteer organisation in the Indian city.
Mohammad Salim said: “We understand the situation and Insha Allah [by the will of God] they will find him soon. Kindly let me know which part of Bengaluru you [Esmail] were residing in and the hotel name so that the volunteers can reach there to find out how to trace Khalid. Allah will help in our search.”
Abdul Rahim also requested more information about Esmail’s location. He said: “Please provide the details of which area and hotel you [Esmail] were staying in, so that it will be easy to trace your son soon. Keep faith in Allah. Insha Allah soon your son will be with you.”
Readers from Bengaluru have also spread the word to their family and friends in the city. One of them is Dubai-based reader going by the online name of Sandhyamygur on gulfnews.com.
She wrote: “I am sure his parents will find Khalid. And I will circulate this message to all my friends and family in Bengaluru. I am from Bengaluru and I assure you Bengaluru will not disappoint.”
Numerous other readers, who posted anonymously, promised the Al Hosani family to share the boy’s information with their friends and family in the city, too.
As well as offering the family help, online readers Faiz and Mohammad reassured the concerned family that Bengaluru is a safe city with good people.
Faiz, currently in the city, wrote: “I hope and pray that the boy is fine and in good health. He just might have lost his way and being from Bengaluru I am sure some locals will help him get back to his parents.”
Abu Dhabi-based Mohammad said: “I understand the situation with Khalid’s parents, but Bengaluru is quite a big city and the people around are very polite and helpful to each other. Insha Allah I’m sure Khalid will return home safely.”
