Indian student Nitheesha Kandula, 23, mysteriously goes missing in Los Angeles

Police confirmed that 23-year-old Nitheesha Kandula, a California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) student, went missing on May 28.

Published on: Jun 3, 2024, 11:13:42 IST

By Sumanti Sen

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An Indian student has mysteriously gone missing in California, with police seeking the public’s help to locate her. Police confirmed that 23-year-old Nitheesha Kandula, a California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB) student, went missing on May 28.

Indian student Nitheesha Kandula, 23, goes missing in Los Angeles (California State University, San Bernardino Police Department)

Kandula, a Hyderabad student who was studying in the US, was reported missing on May 30 after being last seen in Los Angeles, John Guttierez, Chief of Police, CSUSB, said on social media. “#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,” he posted on X.

Kandula has been described as 5 feet 6 inches tall. She weighs around 160 pounds (72.5 kgs) and has black hair and black eyes, according to police. She may have been driving a 2021 Toyota Corolla with a California licence plate.

Police have urged people with information on Kandula’s whereabouts to come forward, saying, "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 circumstances around Kandula’s disappearance is unclear.

Other similar incidents

Just last month, Indian student Rupesh Chandra Chintakindi, 26, went missing in Chicago. In April, 25-year-old Mohammed Abdul Arfath, who hailed from Hyderabad, was found dead in Cleveland after going missing in March.

Meanwhile, in December 2023, the FBI intensified efforts to locate 29-year-old Mayushi Bhagat, an Indian student who went missing in the US after leaving her New Jersey apartment on April 29, 2019. She was reported missing on May 1 of the same year. The FBI is now offering a $10,000 reward for any information leading to Bhagat’s whereabouts.

“The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the location or recovery of the missing person, Mayushi Bhagat, and the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person(s) responsible,” the FBI’s website reads.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

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