The Consulate General of India in San Francisco has expressed deep concern over the disappearance of 22-year-old Indian student Saketh Sreenivasaiah, as local authorities intensify search operations in the East Bay area.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the Consulate General of India, San Francisco said it is “deeply concerned” about the disappearance of the Indian post-graduate student from the University of California, Berkeley, who hails from Karnataka. The Consulate confirmed that it is in touch with Saketh’s family and is coordinating closely with local authorities to help locate him.

According to the Berkeley Police Department, a search operation is currently underway near Lake Anza. Saketh was last seen on Tuesday in the 1700 block of Dwight Way, near McGee Avenue. Police noted that he was reportedly distressed over a personal relationship prior to his disappearance.

His backpack, containing his passport and laptop, was later found on a doorstep in the Park Hills neighborhood adjacent to Tilden Regional Park. Authorities are working in coordination with the East Bay Regional Park District to continue search efforts in the surrounding areas.

Law enforcement officials have urged community members to come forward with any information that may assist in locating him.

Saketh is pursuing a Master’s degree in the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department at UC Berkeley. He previously completed his undergraduate studies at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, one of India’s premier engineering institutions.

The case has drawn attention from the Indian diplomatic mission in the United States, with officials maintaining close coordination with authorities and the student’s family as search efforts continue.