Amidst wave of disappearances, another Indian student goes missing in US

A 23-year-old Indian student from Hyderabad has been reported missing in the US state of California since last week, the latest such case amidst a surge of similar incidents being reported from the country.

Nitheesha Kandula, a California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) student, was last seen in Los Angeles and her missing report was registered on May 30.

The police, who have sought the public's help in finding her, said she went missing on May 28.

California State University, San Bernardino Police along with our partners in LAPD, is asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of Nitheesha Kandula, the police said.

In a statement, police described Kandula as 5 feet 6 inches tall, and around 160 pounds (72.5 kgs) in weight with black hair and black eyes.

She was possibly driving a 2021 Toyota Corolla with a California license plate, the color of which was unknown, according to the statement.

Police have urged people with information on Kandula’s whereabouts to come forward, saying, "Anyone with information is urged to contact the CSUSB Police Department at (909) 538-7777, or the LAPD's Southwest Division at (213) 485-2582." The circumstances around Kandula’s disappearance is unclear.

Meanwhile, Kandula’s worried relatives have taken to multiple social media platforms seeking help from people to locate her whereabouts.

According to an Instagram post sharing Kandula's missing report, her parents are not alive and is under the care of her grandparents.

This year, several Indian and Indian-origin students have reported missing or died in the US which has left the families in India shocked and worried. 

Last month, 26-year-old Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi, an Indian student was reported missing in Chicago.

In April, a 25-year-old student from Hyderabad, Mohammad Abdul Arfath, who went missing in March, was found dead in the US city of Cleveland.

25-year-old Vivek Saini was hammered to death by a homeless drug addict and 27-year-old Venkataramana Pittala died in a watercraft accident. The cause of death of several students is yet to be confirmed. 

A 29-year-old Indian student, Mayushi Bhagat, went missing in the US after leaving her New Jersey apartment on April 29, 2019. She was reported missing on May 1 of the same year. In December 2023, the FBI announced a reward of $10,000 for anyone who shares credible information that can help in locating her.

According to the US, over 2.6 lakh Indian students migrated to the country in the 2022-2023 session. This was a 35 per cent jump from the previous session.