Mystery of missing Indian student deepens

Five weeks after he went missing, AUT University student Srikanth Rayadurgam continues to cause anxiety to his family, peers, colleagues and of course the New Zealand Police.

Auckland City Police District Commander Superintendent George Fraser, Western Area Commander Inspector Jim Wilson and other officers are in constant contact with Indian Newslink, updating us in general terms the status of their investigations. 

“Several feet of CCTV footage taken at various places along Queen Street, Karangahape (K) Road and other parts of the Central Business District have been analysed and there is a lot more work that remains to be done,” Inspector Wilson told this newspaper last night.

He said while he could understand the frustration and despair that the family of the 23-year old Srikanth have had to endure since he went missing on October 1, police work was routine, intense and investigative.

“We are confident of cracking the case but it would be presumptuous to predict a date or issue statements that would jeopardise the investigation,” he said.

Srikanth’s brother-in-law Nagesh Kakanoor, who is also in daily contact with us, said that he has been cooperating with the Police to solve this case as early as possible.

“All of us in the family are devastated. Srikanth was a happy man and we were very close; there was no reason for him to have left the house unannounced. We are just hoping that he would return home soon,” he said.

He also dismissed ‘loose talk’ about the Police not doing enough as ‘rubbish.’

“Although I felt that they could have sent the divers earlier to search in the waters of West Haven harbour, I am confident that the New Zealand Police are doing their best to solve this case. I do not believe they are discriminatory,” he said.

Srikanth arrived in New Zealand in February this year from his native Hyderabad in India to study Hospitality Management at the AUT University and has been staying with his sister Padma and her husband Mr Kakanoor. He did part-time work at the Shahi Restaurants (Ponsonby, Parnell and Dominion Road) and Pizza Hut Glenfield.

The CCTV footage has reportedly provided clues about the young man but at press time Inspector Wilson said he and his 40-member strong investigating team were yet to “get something concrete.”

“But we remain focused and confident,” he said.