A wave of relief washed over the Indian community in California as missing student Nitheesha Kandula was found safe after a week of anxious searching. The 23-year-old from Hyderabad, India, vanished from Los Angeles on May 28th, sparking a desperate search effort.
Nitheesha, a bright student pursuing her education at California State University, San Bernardino (CSUSB), was reported missing by university police on May 30th. Chief John Guttierez, head of the CSUSB police department, took to social media to deliver the heartwarming news of her safe return, but details surrounding her disappearance and location remained shrouded in secrecy.
Chief Guttierez declared, "#MissingCSUSBUpdate: The missing student identified in this bulletin who was reported missing on May 28, 2024, in Los Angeles, has been located and is safe!" Authorities had previously reached out to the public for any information regarding Nitheesha's whereabouts, describing her as having a slender build, standing at 5 feet 6 inches with cascading black hair and expressive black eyes.
Nitheesha's safe return comes as a breath of fresh air amidst a string of unsettling incidents involving Indian students in the United States. Just last month, the disappearance of 26-year-old Rupesh Chandra Chintakind in Chicago sent shivers down spines. Similarly, April saw the tragic discovery of a 25-year-old Indian student who had vanished in March, found deceased in the city of Cleveland.