Alarm bells are ringing in the Indian diaspora community after a promising young scholar from Karnataka disappeared in Berkeley, California. Saket Srinivasaiah, 22, a master’s candidate in chemical and biomolecular engineering at UC Berkeley, hasn’t been seen since Tuesday, igniting a multi-agency hunt across the East Bay region’s scenic parks.
The Indian Consulate in San Francisco voiced its anguish via X, confirming close coordination with Srinivasaiah’s worried family and law enforcement. His backpack—stuffed with crucial items like his passport and laptop—was found abandoned at a doorway in Park Hills, adjacent to Tilden Regional Park, raising fears for his safety.
Berkeley PD reports the student, standing tall at 6’1″ and around 160 lbs with distinctive short black hair and brown eyes, was emotionally troubled by a relationship matter. Last sighted on the 1700 block of Dwight Way by McGee Avenue, the search now focuses on Lake Anza areas in collaboration with EBRPD.
Srinivasaiah’s impressive academic journey—from IIT Madras undergrad to Berkeley grad studies—only heightens the stakes. This isn’t an isolated event; multiple Indian students have mysteriously vanished in the US recently, prompting heightened vigilance from diplomatic channels.
Police are appealing for public tips, emphasizing community cooperation. The consulate pledges unwavering support, as exhaustive efforts continue around the clock. The coming hours are critical in this unfolding saga of a bright mind lost in America’s academic heartland.