Bengaluru’s administration is pulling out all stops in a desperate bid to locate a young student from the state who vanished in California’s Berkeley. Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh has fired off an urgent letter to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, demanding swift intervention from the central government.
The 22-year-old Saketh Srinivasaiah, enrolled in a Master’s program at the University of California, Berkeley, was last seen on the morning of February 12, 2024. Despite a formal missing person report filed with the Berkeley Police Department, no leads have surfaced yet, heightening the family’s anguish back home in Karnataka.
In her correspondence, Rajneesh underscored the gravity of the situation, noting inputs from Saketh’s family and his roommate who conducted exhaustive searches before alerting authorities. ‘The family is devastated, and time is of the essence,’ the letter emphasized, calling for the Indian Consulate in San Francisco to liaise directly with local law enforcement.
This escalation follows the family’s direct plea to state officials. Saketh’s father, Srinivasaiah, revealed that his son’s roommate scoured every possible location before lodging the complaint. While police are on the case, the lack of breakthroughs has prompted this high-level outreach.
Karnataka’s proactive stance highlights the growing concerns over Indian students’ safety abroad. With thousands pursuing higher studies in the US, such incidents underscore the need for robust consular support. Officials are now awaiting MEA’s response, hopeful for a coordinated search effort that brings Saketh home safely.
The state government has assured the family of unwavering support, vowing to pursue every diplomatic channel. As investigations continue, the spotlight remains on Berkeley, where a young scholar’s disappearance has sparked widespread worry.