Doctors' son, 8, kidnapped and murdered in India

TWO doctors who quit East Yorkshire to live their dream of opening a new hospital in India have been devastated by the kidnap and murder of their eight-year-old son.

Ishan Rawal was kidnapped during a ceremony to celebrate the opening of his parents' hospital in India.

The little boy's body was discovered in woodland after his parents and their friends searched in vain for him before calling in police. He had been strangled.

Now, Ishan's parents – Dr Nikita Rawal and Dr Arvind Rawal, who worked at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital – are calling on the British Government to help bring their son's killers to justice.

Nikita, 42, who lived in Beverley with her family before they moved to India last year, said: "How can someone do such a thing?

"He was such a talented boy – he played tennis and was getting on very well at school.

"We are missing a very big part of our lives that we will never get back."

Ishan, who used to attend Molescroft Primary School with his older brother Rusheek, 11, went missing on the day of the inauguration ceremony at Royal Shanti Hospital in Indore, central India, on June 22.

The ceremony was attended by about 2,000 people, who were milling around the hospital when he disappeared.

Arvind, 43, said: "Rusheek said Ishan had gone – so we spent an hour looking all over the hospital.

"There were people everywhere so it was very hectic.

"When we couldn't find him, we reported it to the police.

"We had our suspicions that he had been kidnapped."

Ishan had been spotted leaving with Shaan Das – a man employed by one of the hospital's financial backers.

Das knew both boys well and had often helped them download games to play on their computer.

Nikita said: "He had said he was going to take Ishan for an ice cream on his bike.

"He had been at the ceremony but then left with Ishan.

"The police tried calling his phone, but he didn't answer.

"When he got back to the ceremony, everyone was asking him where Ishan was.

"He denied it at first then he said he took him for a bike ride and left him somewhere."

Das was taken into police custody and, hours later, confessed to kidnapping Ishan and taking him to wood about 8km away from the hospital.

Reports in India reveal Das has since claimed to police he killed Ishan because the child's parents wouldn't give him a job.

However, Ishan's parents refuse to accept someone could murder their child over a job and believe there is more to their son's killing.

They think it could have been the work of more than one killer, orchestrated by their enemies in an attempt to halt their work and force them back to Britain.

Nikita said: "In March, it was decided he wouldn't work for the hospital.

"But he already had a job so he wasn't unemployed and it was months ago. We've requested an inquiry into what happened – it was so well planned, we know there is more to it."

Arvind says the Indian police are satisfied with the arrest of Das as the prime suspect and are not concerned about looking for anyone else in connection with Ishan's murder.

The family have now invited the British High Commission to meet authorities in Delhi in an attempt to widen the murder investigation.

Arvind said: "We'd like our friends in East Yorkshire to help us and campaign for a proper enquiry.

"We need justice for our son."

The family are urging people to email the British High Commission in New Dehli at web.newdelhi@fco.gov.uk to support their quest for answers.