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.
Shiva's van, which was found locked at Keysborough with his belongings intact, on 2 May 2014 Source: Victoria Police
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.
Shiva Chauhan, who is missing from Melbourne since May 2014 Source: Supplied
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.
Shiva Chauhan, pictured at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, before he came to Melbourne Source: Supplied
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.
Earlier coverage of this story from SBS Punjabi
Please help us find Shiva - he's been missing for two years now!
