Indian Student Found Dead In US Six Days After Going Missing

San Francisco: A 22-year-old Indian student, who had gone missing in the US, has been found dead in Lake Anza near the Berkeley Hills by the local police, the Consulate General of India, San Francisco said on Sunday.

Who is this Indian student?

Saketh Sreenivasaiah had been missing since February 9 and was last seen near a lake in the Tilden Regional Park in California.

Later, a backpack, containing his passport and laptop, was found near a residence close to Tilden Regional Park, also near the campus.

The body of Saketh was recovered on Saturday near Lake Anza in Tilden Regional Park, close to Berkeley Hills,  the Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed on Sunday.

Who was Saketh Sreenivasaiah?

Saketh was a post-graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, who hailed from Tumakuru in Karnataka

He was pursuing a master’s degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. He had completed his B.Tech in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

What did the Indian Consulate in San Francisco say?

Taking to X, the Indian Consulate in San Francisco said, "The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this profoundly difficult time."

The Indian Consulate in San Francisco further added that the Indian mission is ready to provide all the necessary assistance to the family in coordinating with local authorities and arranging for the repatriation of Sreenivasaiah's mortal remains.

"Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services," the Consulate added.

What did the family say?

Saketh's father, Sreenivasaiah said that  the last conversation with him was on February 9.

"We still haven't been able to locate him. We are in touch with his roommates and others. We have written to the government seeking support and assistance to find our son," Sreenivasaiah told news agency PTI.