German cops continue search for missing Karnataka student

HUBBALLI: While efforts are on to

trace Manjunath Churi

, who's gone missing in Hamburg, Germany, since Monday, his mother and family

members in Bagalkot

are desperately waiting for news about him.

Manjunath's family members

said that they haven't got any proper information, except that Manjunath's bicycle and jacket were found on the banks of the Elbe river. "We heard from his friends that he was very disturbed on Father's Day (June 18). He was missing his father who died in a road accident last November, especially on that day, which is a grand affair in Germany," they added. They said his mother, Mahananda, is in shock .

Bagalkot SP C B Ryshyanth

said he had received communication from the office of the Consul General of India in Germany, that a search team is on a helicopter, scouring the Elbe river. "As the river is very rapid, German police have decided to halt the search operation for two days, and resume on Monday," he said.

Meanwhile, Madan Lal Raigar, Consul General of India in Germany, sent a 4-page letter to K Muralidhara, member secretary, NRI Forum, Karnataka. "The consulate is in continuous touch with the family, SP/DSP of Bagalkot, Karnataka, and concerned here in Hamburg," the letter read.