Family and friends of Krishank ‘Krish’ Karthik are continuing to search for the missing 16-year-old after his disappearance on Monday morning.
Krishank’s father Karthik Krishnamurthy has told Indian Link his son has not been seen since a sighting yesterday at Melbourne Central at roughly 1:30pm. Numerous members of the public also spotted him in this location on Tuesday, and some have mentioned seeing him here with two other male Susanne Cory students.
‘I do not know what is happening, but whatever has happened [seems to] have happened around Melbourne Central. That is why Melbourne Central seems like a place that has been visited so frequently,’ Karthik speculates.
Krishank was last seen by his family when he left for school on Monday at 7:45am but never arrived.
He was spotted via CCTV on the same day at about 10:40am on a tram in North Melbourne, and credit card transaction records places him at a North Melbourne 7Eleven around the same time. His mother Shobana has told media he was also sighted at roughly 1:20pm at ML Mobiles on Swanston St, where he sold his phone for $350.
A Year 11 student at Suzanne Cory High School in Werribee, Krishank’s father says he is a studious and happy young man.
“He is a very smart guy; he has been scoring [good] grades… he’s not stressed about his studies. He watches footy matches with his friends, he goes for plays…anything a normal kid would do is what Krish was doing.” Karthik says.
He says this kind of behaviour is incredibly irregular for his son, and that there were no disagreements at home or school in the lead up to his disappearance.
“He’s not this kind of a person…this has happened all of a sudden and it’s taken us aback,” he says.
Karthik says their family are grateful for the support they have received from the tight-knit Wyndham community, who have been volunteering and spreading the word across Melbourne via social media. Equally, he expressed disdain for bad actors sending ‘prank’ messages to their family at this difficult time.
He requests the community to keep Krishank in their prayers, and for anyone who spots him to maintain sight of him and contact the Werribee Police Station immediately on (03) 9742 9444.
Krishank is roughly 177cm tall, and was wearing a grey hoodie, black track pants, black shoes and black Armani glasses. He has mild asthma but no urgent medical conditions.
Karthik says they brought him up as an ‘emotional person’, and is appealing to his son’s kind nature to return home.
“His mother is crying so much; she hasn’t eaten. His grandma has just come out of hospital; she’s the one who brought him up…love will bring him back,” he says.
“We are prepared to accept Krish as Krish, not as whatever he’s done.”
READ ALSO: Carlton tragedy: deportation and fundraising claims debunked
