Rescue teams join hunt for missing Sanjay Dhital

SPECIALIST rescue teams have been called into help search for missing Edinburgh man Sanjay Dhital, who has not been seen for more than four weeks.

Teams of volunteers from the Borders Search and Rescue Unit and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue will be assisting officers in the capital by carrying out rope-access searches of Holyrood Park.

Sanjay, 24, was last seen at his flat in Elm Row on Boxing Day, and it is very unusual for him not to have contacted his friends or family since then.

He was in his final year of studies at Edinburgh College, and has a part-time job at Saigon Saigon restaurant in South St Andrew Street.

Sanjay, who is Nepalese, is described as being 5ft 6ins tall, slim with untidy black hair and had a stubbly complexion when he was last seen - he may now have a full beard, however.

Inspector Kevin McLean, who is leading the inquiry, said: “We are grateful to both Borders Search and Rescue Unit and Tweed Valley Mountain Rescue Team for their support this weekend.

“We have carried out searches of the area around Elm Row, but it is important that we now sweep the hard to reach areas around Arthur’s Seat, as there is a possibility Sanjay may have come to some harm.

“Door to door inquiries continue to be carried out, and we are still appealing for anyone who might know where Sanjay is, or who may have seen him since Boxing Day, to contact us on 0131 311 3131.”

Sanjay’s brother, Sailesh Dhital, who lives in Kathmandu, Nepal, with the rest of his family said: “This is a very difficult time for our family as we’re all worried about Sanjay, and we’re desperate to hear from him.

“We’re a close family and although Sanjay is living in Edinburgh he contacts us regularly either on the phone or online chats.

“He enjoys his college course and has been working hard at his studies for the past two years; it’s very unusual for him to miss his classes.

“We are asking anyone who might know where Sanjay is to tell the police so we can be sure he is safe and well, we are all waiting for that call.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or Crimestoppers in complete anonymity on 0800 555 111.