parents-seek-answers-after-son-s-death-in-us

The parents of a 22-year-old Indian postgraduate student found dead in the United States days after he went missing remain in deep shock and have expressed a desire to travel to America to personally receive his body and press for a swift investigation.

Saketh Sreenivasaiah, a Master of Science student at the University of California, Berkeley, had been missing since February 9. His body was later recovered in Berkeley, California, a development confirmed by the Indian Consulate in San Francisco in a social media post on Saturday (local time).

The young student, who hailed from Karnataka, had last spoken to his family a day before he disappeared. According to MLC Arathi Krishna, who met his parents Sreenivasaiah and Anupama at their Bengaluru residence on Sunday, the family is struggling to accept the loss.

"They are unable to believe that he has really passed away. He had spoken to them a day before he went missing and everything seemed normal and routine. Saketh also never hinted at being under stress or facing any problems," Krishna said.

Also read: Indian student from Karnataka goes missing in US

Krishna, who also serves as deputy chairman of the NRI Forum of Karnataka, said the family has no relatives in the United States and fears that if the body is repatriated without their presence, the pace of the investigation could slow.

"His parents still feel that they want to go there and ensure that a proper investigation is carried out. They somehow believe that everything seemed normal, and they are unable to understand how this could have happened. That is why they want to go in person. They have sought my assistance and I am helping them to secure an emergency visa as soon as possible so that they can travel immediately," she said.

She added that the grieving parents remain in disbelief. "They feel that when they go there and identify the body, it may not be him, as they are still in shock and unable to accept the loss."

Saketh’s backpack, containing his passport and laptop, was reportedly found on a doorstep in Berkeley’s Park Hills neighbourhood. Local police had earlier appealed for information regarding his whereabouts.

His parents now hope to meet university and police authorities in person to understand the circumstances surrounding his death and to ensure that the probe is pursued thoroughly.