Welcome to Mysteries of the Missing, a podcast and blog about missing person's cases. You can find my podcast, my blog, and my social media pages on my Linktree at: https://linktr.ee/MysteriesoftheMissing.
Keep in mind that I am only reporting the events of what have happened, per my research through various media outlets. I’m not trained in any way in true crime. Instead, I'm a published author who loves to blog. Also, I’m solely a human being that’s trying to do my part to get the message of the story of Mayushi Bhagat out there so that one day, hopefully, she may be found, and her case may be solved. Join me as I dive into the last day that people saw Mayushi and what happened after she was last seen.
Mayushi Bhagat, missing since 4/29/2019
"He who knows That as both in one, the Knowledge and the Ignorance, by the Ignorance crosses beyond death and by the Knowledge enjoys Immortality. For the soul, there is neither birth nor death at any time. He is not slain when the body is slain." - Bhagavad Gita, a 700-verse Hindu scripture
Many people come to America to chase their dreams, not kill them. Mayushi Bhagat was a dream chaser, hoping to be an engineer. She was studying in the United States on an F1 Student Visa, specifically attending the New York Institute of Technology for a graduate degree in electrical engineering. She had dreams of working in the field of technology. At the time of her disappearance, she was 29. Many would say that her dreams were late, but for this 40 year old who's reporting on Mayushi, it's never too late to chase a dream. In fact, I wrote and published my first book at the age of 38.
A native of India, Mayushi was born in 1994. She comes from Vadodara, India, the tenth biggest city in the country, also known as Baroda. Vadodara is also a city in the state of Gujarat, which is the state that most Indians who immigrate to the United States come from. Her friends describe her as a responsible, independent, kind, intelligent woman who loves her family, friends, and life. Apparently, her parents had also been living in the United States for a few months at the time of her disappearance and her brother had moved to America to study as well.
Before beginning her graduate degree in the States, Mayushi attended Vadodara Institute of Engineering. In 2015, four years before her disapperance, Mayushi came to America to study at the University of New Hampshire. In 2016, she transferred to the New York Institute of Technology.
The last person to speak with Mayushi was her father through the popular chatting app, Whatsapp, on May 1, 2019 at 12:30 a.m. Mayushi supposedly told her father that she was not returning home until May 3 and she wanted to be left alone. This was strange to her dad, since she had never expressed this sentiment before. Her father said that the language in the text didn't sound like his daughter. Could it have been Mayushi, or was it someone pretending to be her and using her phone?
Even though the last conversation with her dad was recorded on May 1, 2019, her family thinks she disappeared on April 29, 2019, two days before. Mayushi hadn't contacted her family from April 29 until May 1, when her father got that message from her after reaching out to her. On April 30, Mayushi's family reached out to her friends in South Plainsfield, New Jersey, but everyone said they hadn't heard from or seen her (which is strange, since the FBI thinks she could be with them). It was on May 1 that Mayushi's father reported her missing to the Jersey City Police.
The police combed through her apartment, retraced her steps, and spoke with family and friends, and the FBI soon took notice of Mayushi's case. The two law enforcement agencies began working together, reaching out to her peers at the Institute of Technology and local South Asian communities. Using advanced forensics and their connections across the United States, the FBI deepened their search for Mayushi, but nothing turned up.
Another indication that Mayushi didn't just abandon her family and her life was the fact that she had just received a terrific job in California that was supposed to file an H1B Visa for her. An H1B Visa is meant for companies to hire nonimmigrant employees for work. This looks to me that she had plans to stay in America. However, what if this job was fake, falsified by someone who wanted to hurt her? This is just a possibility that I am surmising. She was last seen leaving her apartment that day in colorful pajamas and a black t-shirt.
Mayushi has friends in the South Plainfield, New Jersey area, and the family and the FBI say she may be in that area. What leads do the FBI have that Mayushi may be in South Plainfield, and why would she be there? Was she running from something, and if so, what?
Police questioned a man named Rashid Ali, who lives in New Jersey. Even though Rashid was supposedly friends with Mayushi, they aren't friends on his Facebook. Also, he hasn't posted since 2021, but that may be that due to his settings, that only his friends can see his latest posts. When I did a search to find out information about what the police said to Rashid in their interview with him, but obviously, nothing has happened with him because Mayushi's case is still unsolved.
My question is: Why would the authorities want to see Rashid? Was he the last person she was with?
The Jersey City Police Department and the FBI are currently searching for Mayushi. In addition, the FBI is offering a $10,000 award for anyone with information about her disappearance that leads to her location or the recovery of Mayushi. According to her friends, the FBI and the family have exhausted all leads and they are currently trying to raise $60,000 to help the family fund their search for Mayushi, as they have supposedly accumulated legal and investigative fees.
This case has garnered international attention, as Mayushi's disappearance has been reported worldwide. The fact that Mayushi is trilingual adds to the need to search worldwide for her: She could blend in to multiple communities around the globe.
Some think Mayushi could have disappeared on her own volition, citing academic or personal reasons. However, she exited her home in her pajamas and left all of her belongings behind, so this theory is definitely false.
Mayushi's most likely end result, I believe, is that she encountered foul play with a stranger or someone she knew.
Mayushi is 28 years old, 5’10” tall, medium build (150-160 pounds), with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen wearing colorful pajamas and a black t-shirt. Also, she speaks Hindi, Urdu, and English.
What do you think happened to Mayushi? Let me know by reaching out to me at @mysteriesofthemissing on all social media outlets or in the comments below.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to call the Jersey City Police at 201-547-5427 or the FBI Newark Office at 973-792-3000. Tips can also be submitted online at https://tips.fbi.gov/. You may also contact me at mysteriesofthemissing2023@gmail.com.
Mayushi, your family and friends are worried about you and haven't given up the search for you in five years. If you are alive, they are waiting for you to come home. If something happened to you, I pray that whomever hurt you will be brought to justice.
This has been another episode of Mysteries of the Missing. Until next time, stay safe...
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