Kota Shinozaki

New Delhi, Oct. 28: An elderly Japanese couple has been moving around the congested Paharganj area, photograph of a young man in hand.

But Shigru and Eikomas Shinozaki’s search for their 21-year-old son, who disappeared after arriving in Delhi in the early hours of September 3, is growing more difficult by the day.

Kota Shinozaki, who hadn’t told his parents the details of his travel plans, had promised to be back in a month. So, even when their emails and phone calls went unanswered, the couple hadn’t got too worried at first.

After their arrival in Delhi on October 17, the Shinozakis, accompanied by police, have done the rounds of the guesthouses in Paharganj, a favourite haunt of foreign backpackers. But they have had no luck.

Police officers say it’s a “blind case” with few leads to act on.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Kota had exchanged $100 for Indian currency at the airport. Then the trail goes cold.

The student of economics from Tokyo had been travelling alone and had $900 (about Rs 40,680) on him. He was in charcoal grey cotton trousers and a brown shirt and carried a handbag.

The parents said Kota had no friends in India and had come as a tourist to spend his summer vacation.

The police have found out that he had booked a ticket for September 23 for his journey back to Japan but didn’t use it. The ticket was valid till October 3.

The police are trying to find out if Kota had an Internet friend or a pen pal in India. His mobile phone records are being investigated.

The parents say they will stay on in Delhi till they can trace their son. The Japanese embassy is trying to help them.

There have been instances of foreign visitors becoming victims of crime in Delhi. A prepaid taxi driver had killed a woman tourist last year on her way to the city from the airport.

Foreigners are also frequently duped by taxi and auto-rickshaw operators.