Indian student Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi reported missing in Chicago since May 2

PTC News Desk: An Indian student, Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi, has been reported missing in Chicago since May 2. The Consulate General of India in Chicago has initiated efforts in coordination with local authorities and the Indian diaspora to locate and reestablish contact with him.

In a recent statement posted on X, the Consulate General of India expressed deep concern over Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi’s disappearance, stating, “The Consulate is deeply concerned learning that Indian student Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi is incommunicado since May 2. Consulate is in touch with the police and the Indian diaspora hoping to locate/reestablish contact with Rupesh.”

The Chicago police have also urged the public to provide any information that may help in locating Rupesh Chintakindi. According to reports, he was last seen in the 4300 block of N Sheridan Road.

This incident follows a tragic pattern of Indian students facing adversity while studying abroad. In a similar vein, earlier in April, Mohammed Abdul Arfath, another Indian student who had been missing since March, was found dead in Ohio. The Consulate General of India in New York expressed deep sorrow over Arfath’s demise and is actively engaged with local authorities to ensure a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

“Anguished to learn that Mr. Mohammed Abdul Arfath, for whom search operation was underway, was found dead in Cleveland, Ohio. Our deepest condolences to Mr Mohammed Arfath’s family,” the Consulate General of India in New York stated in a post on X.

Arfath, originally from Hyderabad, had traveled to the United States to pursue a Master’s degree in IT from Cleveland University in May 2023. His disappearance on March 7 sparked a frantic search, during which his family received a ransom demand of USD 1200 from an unidentified caller claiming Arfath had been kidnapped.

These incidents underscore the challenges faced by Indian students studying abroad, with recent tragedies highlighting the need for increased support and security measures within the Indian diaspora communities across the globe. Just last month, Uma Satya Sai Gadde, another Indian student in Cleveland, Ohio, tragically passed away, prompting an ongoing police investigation.

In another distressing incident earlier this year, an Indian student in Chicago, Syed Mazahir Ali, was subjected to a brutal attack. The Indian Consulate in Chicago has been actively engaged in providing assistance and support to the victim and his family during this challenging time.