Indian student goes missing in California

An Indian student has been reported missing in California, adding to a string of incidents involving Indian nationals in the US this year.

Nitheesha Kandula, 23, was last seen in Los Angeles on Tuesday and reported missing on Thursday to the Los Angeles Police Department, police officials said in a missing persons notice.

She was studying at the California State University, San Bernardino, the officials said.

"#MissingPersonAlert: California State University, San Bernardino Police along with our partners in #LAPD, is asking anyone with information on the whereabouts of @CSUSBNews Nitheesha Kandula, to contact us at: (909) 537-5165," the police said.

Her last possible vehicle information is a 2021 Toyota Corolla with a California licence plate numbered #9KXU509, said John Guttierez, chief of police, CSUSB, in a post on X on Sunday. The colour of her vehicle is unknown.

She has been described as 5 feet 6 inches tall, and around 160 pounds (72.5 kgs) in weight with black hair and black eyes, the statement issued by the chief of police said.

Ms Kandula originally hails from southern India city Hyderabad.

"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 police officials said.

This is the latest such incident of an Indian student reported missing in the US. In April, the number of suspicious fatalities just this year from the Indian community was estimated to be between six and ten people.

Last month, a 26-year-old Indian student named Rupesh Chandra Chintakind was reported missing in Chicago. In April, an Indian student died in Cleveland, Ohio, and his death was reported by the Indian Consulate in New York.

Some Indian students have linked these deaths to increased threats and discrimination. The Indian Embassy held virtual sessions in February for students on wellbeing and how to remain in touch with the diaspora, meetings that took on new meaning following the deaths.

Students from 90 universities took part in the session led by Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan and attended by consul generals in Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.

There are around 4.4 million Indian-Americans, and 268,923 Indian students came to the US for the 2022-2023 academic year. Several thousands more people come from India to the US on work visas.