Finally in Mumbay

The parents of Jean-Baptiste have arrived on sunday 22nd of November 2009 in Mumbai, this is their third visit in India since Jean-Baptiste has disapeared.

They will be meeting with the Indian and French police, to meet with the French police superintendent who has been sent to India to investigate.

This 3rd visit will be easier for them as Marie-Claire has been learning English and finally manages to go pass the language barrier. They are already starting laying posters, giving away flyers, and doing everything they can to find their missing son.

Their local phone number: 00919600515513

OPERATION ITINERANT QG

All-terrain vehicle scheme dedicated to Jean-Baptiste

In search of their son Jean-Baptiste, disappeared in India on the 5th of December 2007, the third visit to India of Pierre and Marie-Claire Talleu is being organised, based on their experience from previous visits.

India is a huge country, and we had our share of communication and accommodation troubles.

The alternative of a recreational vehicle, or rather an all-terrain equipped (or converted) van, set as a real QG touring, would be ideal. An idea is put forward….now we need to find the funds.

« We thought that travelling ourselves around India in a clearly visible vehicle would be the best means of communication. Indians are very curious and benevolent. The vehicle, preferably all-terrain, to be able to progress on the bad roads, with many large missing posters attached would attract itself press and TV wherever we go.

We could hand out leaflets in big quantities. Indian people ask for them and they listen attentively. They don’t throw them away but fold them and put carefully in their pockets. We have seen many people taking their mobile phones and adding the telephone number indicated on the leaflet to the contact list and taking picture of the Jean-Baptiste image.

The vehicle would need to be equipped at least with the minimum to allow sleeping inside. It is not necessary to have a real recreation vehicle. A solid car is needed, not at all luxurious that would draw attention only to the images of Jean-Baptiste.

Thus we would always have the communication with us and we would be exceptionally mobile and continuously visible, which is the aim of the search. It was the lack of mobility that bore upon us on our previous visits.

Veera, a Parsi friend who speaks English, French, Hindi and Marathi, offers to join us on a voluntary basis. She already proved herself a great helper during our meetings with the Mumbai Police.

While we can’t spend a whole year in India, we think that this vehicle dedicated to Jean-Baptiste should stay there and be available to whoever would accept take over this mission when we’re not there.

The French travellers we met often helped us and offered to take flyers with them.

We are convinced young travellers would be delighted to be able to discover India (often for a 6 month period, because of visa), in this useful vehicle dedicated in the search of Jean-Baptiste; or maybe students for their work experience in communication for example.

This project first formed on our last trip, where we faced difficult realities. But nothing is impossible when you really want it.

Thank you for helping us achieve this project for Jean-Baptiste.

Marie-Claire et Pierre Marie Talleu