Karnataka requests MEA assistance after 22-year-old student goes missing in California
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Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has requested the Ministry of External Affairs to extend all necessary assistance, coordinate with local law enforcement, and provide support to the family of a 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student who has gone missing in California, the US.
Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a student at the University of California, Berkeley, hailing from Karnataka, has been reported missing in Berkeley since the morning of February 12, officials said.
In a letter to Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh said Saketh is enrolled in the Master of Science programme at the University of California, Berkeley.
According to information received from his family and housemates, his whereabouts remain unknown despite a formal complaint being lodged with the Berkeley Police Department, the February 13 letter stated.
Given the critical nature of the situation and the mounting anxiety of his family in Karnataka, she requested the ministry’s intervention and support.
"It is requested that the Ministry of External Affairs, through the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, extend all necessary assistance, including coordination with local law enforcement and facilitation of support to the family," Rajneesh said.
When contacted, Saketh’s father, Sreenivasaiah, said he had submitted a memorandum to the state government requesting steps to help locate his missing son.
He said he last spoke to Saketh on February 9 and later learned from his roommates that he had been missing since the morning of February 12.
The police are actively investigating the case; however, his whereabouts remain unknown.
"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," he told PTI.
When asked whether he would travel to the US, Sreenivasaiah said he was considering it.
In a letter to Rajneesh seeking the state government’s cooperation and assistance, Saketh’s parents stated that his housemates had searched all known places and, after confirming he was untraceable, lodged a formal complaint with the Berkeley Police Department.
Meanwhile, Yashovardhan Singh Thakur, Assistant Section Officer (Community Affairs) at the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, confirmed that the mission is coordinating with the Berkeley Police Department to provide updates and assistance in the search.
In an official communication dated February 14, Thakur said he had spoken to Saketh’s father, Sreenivasaiah, and his brother, Sudhamshu, and had taken updates from his roommate, Baneet Singh, regarding the search.
"We are in touch with Saketh’s family and his roommate. We have also contacted the Berkeley Police Department to get updates regarding the case and are providing all possible assistance from the mission in the search for Saketh," he said.
Thakur further stated that the police have so far recovered his laptop, bag, and passport near the Anza Lake area and are searching for Saketh. He added that he would promptly update the parties concerned as soon as there is any development.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
