Indian Student Saketh Sreenivasaiah Found Dead in US Days After Going Missing

Twenty-two-year-old Indian student Saketh Sreenivasaiah, who had been missing since February 9, was found dead in the United States, the Indian mission in San Francisco confirmed on Sunday.

According to authorities, his body was recovered from Lake Anza near the Berkeley Hills in California. Saketh, a postgraduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, was last seen near a lake in Tilden Regional Park.

In a statement posted on X, the Consulate General of India, San Francisco said it “deeply regrets to inform that local police have confirmed the recovery of the body of the missing Indian student, Saketh Sreenivasaiah.” The mission extended condolences to his family and assured them of full assistance in coordinating with local authorities and arranging the repatriation of his mortal remains.

“Our consular officers are in direct contact with the family and will support them with all required formalities and services,” the statement added. The confirmation came a day after the Consulate had expressed concern over his disappearance and said it was in touch with both the family and local law enforcement.

Saketh hailed from Tumakuru in Karnataka. His father had earlier told PTI that he last spoke to his son on February 9. After being unable to trace him, his roommates searched known locations before filing a missing person complaint with the Berkeley Police Department.

Saketh’s parents had written to Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh seeking the state government’s intervention. The Karnataka government subsequently requested the Ministry of External Affairs to extend necessary assistance through diplomatic channels.

Saketh was pursuing a Master of Science in the Product Development Programme at the University of California, Berkeley. According to his LinkedIn profile, he completed his Bachelor of Technology in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.