By Kath Gannaway
A giant billboard in River Street, Healesville, has again brought home to locals the tragic disappearance of 22-year-old student Tej Chitnis.
Tej’s family have been searching for him since 27 April 2016 when he was last seen by them at his Burwood East home that morning before setting off in his silver Golf car.
Their desperate search centred around Healesville and the Yarra Valley after a signal from his mobile phone indicated the phone was last located in the Healesville area.
His car was captured on CCTV at the Green Street and Maroondah Highway intersection on the day he disappeared.
The plight of Tej and his family has touched the hearts of Healesville people with the family never giving up on seeing their son and brother again.
Posters have appeared regularly over the past year and a half and the billboard, erected by the Missing Persons Advocacy Network (MPAN) with support from The Mobile Billboard Company, has once again touched hearts with responses on the findtejchitnis facebook page including messages of support, hope and sadness.
A post from MPAN on the facebook site reflected the dedication to the search for Tej – “We will do whatever we can for as long as is required (hopefully not much longer),” it read.
Tej’s car has never been found, his mobile phone is switched off and his bank account has not been touched.
Anyone who has any information is asked to phone Box hill Police on 8892 3200.