The Karnataka government had urged the Ministry of External Affairs to intervene in the case of the missing Indian student Saketh Sreenivasaiah, who had disappeared earlier this week from his university in the United States. Originally hailing from Karnataka, 22-year-old Saketh Sreenivasaiah was working towards completing his post graduation at the University of California, Berkeley.
Some local US reports suggested that he was last seen on Tuesday (US time). Early Sunday morning, February 15 (IST), the Indian Consulate in San Francisco confirmed that local authorities in America had recovered his body from Lake Anza.
Indian student Saketh Sreenivasaiah last spoke to his family on…
According to PTI, Saketh’s father, Sreenivasaiah, he last spoke to his son on February 9 and later found out through his roommates that he had been missing since the morning of February 12.
It was ultimately also disclosed that the UC Berkeley student’s father had reached out to the state government. Submitting a memorandum to Karnataka officials, he requested steps to locate his son.
Even though a formal complaint was lodged with the Berkeley Police Department – Case No. 26-6726, the Indian student remained untraceable in the US. As local authorities’ efforts to find the UC Berkeley Master’s student failed despite an active investigation at the time, his distressed father had opened up to PTI before the devastating news of the 22-year-old’s death broke out.
“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,” Saketh’s father told the Indian outlet. When asked if he was considering going to the US, Sreenivasaiah said that the possibility was very much on the cards.
In a letter to Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Saketh’s parents said his housemates had looked in all known places. After they failed to locate him, they desperately lodged a formal complaint with the Berkeley Police Department.
Saketh Sreenivasaiah death: Karnataka Chief Secy’s letter to Vikram Misri
After hearing the pleas of Saketh’s family, Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, in turn, penned a letter to India Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, seeking urgent intervention of the Centre.
The letter dated February 13, as seen being circulated on X, Rajneesh started, “I am writing to bring to your urgent attention the distressing case of a young Indian student, Mr Saketh Sreenivasaiah, who has been reported missing in Berkeley, California, USA, since the morning of February 12, 2026.”
Further detailing his credits, the Karnataka Chief Secy told Misri that Saketh was enrolled in the Master of Science program 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 (Case No. 26-6726).”
She added, “Given the gravity of the situation and the mounting anxiety of his family residing in our State, I request your kind 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.”
Indian Consulate responds to reports of missing Indian student
On February 14 morning (IST), the Indian Consulate in San Francisco, California, issued a public statement via its official X account, addressing the case at hand. The Consulate confirmed that the authorities were in touch with the family, as well as the concerned local authorities in the US helping to locate the 22-year-old.
As per PTI, Yashovardhan Singh Thakur, Assistant Section Officer (Community Affairs) at the Consulate General of India in San Francisco, also conveyed via an official communication that the mission was working with the Berkeley Police Department.
“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 also revealed that the local police had by that time found Saketh’s laptop, bag and passport near the Anza Lake area, while search for the young student was still on.
However, about a day later, the official account delivered the devastating news of Saketh’s death. “The Consulate deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah,” the Indian Consulate wrote on X early Sunday morning (IST).
It also affirmed that authorities were ready to provide all necessary assistance to the family, including coordination with local authorities and arrangement for the repatriation of Saketh’s mortal remains to India at the earliest. “Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services,” the post added.
Elsewhere, in a LinkedIn post, Saketh’s UC Berkeley roommate Baneet Singh said that he was working with the authorities to arrange for his deceased friend’s family to arrive in America on an emergency visa.
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