NRI from Australia goes missing in Punjab, police hunt brother with ‘criminal bent of mind’
Australian teacher from Melbourne vanished during Amritsar visit; police say missing brother with criminal background now under scanner
The family has, for now, decided not to travel to India, citing safety concerns, even as authorities intensify efforts to trace the missing teacher and unravel the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. (Express photo, enhanced with AI) A 66-year-old Australian citizen and high school teacher from Melbourne, Sunil Sharma, has gone missing in Punjab under suspicious circumstances, with investigators now probing the possible involvement of his brother, who is also untraceable. A senior Amritsar Rural Police official told The Indian Express that the brother has been missing since the day Sharma disappeared and is now a key focus of the investigation.
“We have been investigating the matter from all angles. His brother, Sunny Sharma, has also been missing since the same day. We have information that he has a criminal bent of mind and cases are registered against him,” a senior police officer said. The officer added that while no final conclusion had been reached, the possibility of the brother’s involvement could not be ruled out. “We are close to cracking the case,” the official said.
According to a report by ABC News, Sharma was last heard from on May 22 while visiting Amritsar to prepare an investment property for sale ahead of his retirement.
A mathematics teacher at Diamond Valley College in Melbourne, he had travelled to Punjab to oversee renovation work at his property in Ashiana Estate on Fatehgarh Churian Road.
His daughter, Surbhi Sharma, said the family had been in regular contact with him during the trip. He last spoke to his children on the morning of May 22, but by the next day, his phone had been switched off.
She said concern grew when her brother called to ask if she had heard from their father. “I said, ‘No, I’ve not heard from him since yesterday morning,’” she told ABC News.
Sharma had been supervising painters at the property, and a family friend in India later alerted local authorities after he could not be contacted. “So my dad and my dad’s car are completely gone,” Surbhi said, expressing fears of possible foul play.
She also confirmed that her uncle — Sharma’s brother — had been seen at the property shortly before the disappearance and is now untraceable. Police are also attempting to question a prospective buyer who had reportedly visited the property.
Amritsar Rural Police officials said they are examining all angles, including abduction, as the investigation widens.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that it is providing consular assistance to the family, while the Victorian Department of Education expressed hope for Sharma’s safe return. Surbhi said she has been receiving updates through the Australian Embassy in India and has been informed that Interpol has also been alerted.
The family has, for now, decided not to travel to India, citing safety concerns, even as authorities intensify efforts to trace the missing teacher and unravel the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
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