Five months after he had joined Indian Naval Academy (INA), Ezhimala, Singh’s third son Chandra Deo Singh, 18, went missing on October 11. The last time he is known to have withdrawn money from his bank account is five days after he ran away from the academy, from an ATM in Panjim, Goa. On October 24, he added a friend to his Facebook account. “He is a bright student and had cleared the UPSC examination in the very first attempt. His elder brother Captain Panchdev Singh is a commissioned infantry officer, while another brother is undergoing final year training at INA. Chandra Deo decided to join the Navy after he visited his brother in the academy,” said Birendra Singh, a resident of Khadki who is currently posted at ORDAQA in the city.

Singh feels his son was unhappy with the rigourous training regime at INA and could not cope. “He was absolutely fine in the first month. Then he started skipping his lectures and parade so that the academy rusticates him. My elder son had visited the academy to sort out the matter pertaining to his irregular attendance. On October 10, he had told his roommate that this time he will do such a thing that his brother and father would have ‘no control’ on. Since then, he has been absconding... we are worried and hoping for him to return,” said Singh.

An FIR lodged by the academy on October 12 says, “Cadet Chandra Deo Singh undergoing training in the Indian Naval Academy is found to be missing from the premises of INA PM 11 Oct 12.” The worried father feels that his son is scared of him and his brothers. “I have never felt so helpless. My son is a bright boy and I am sure he can become an IAS or IPS officer. I am willing to help him in every possible way, provided he returns home,” Singh said.

While the police are investigating the matter, Singh said he would reward anybody who would provide information about his son on 09049860270, 09783737133.

In a similar case, Shamshad Patekar (18), a Class XII science student, went missing on September 26 after his elder brother scolded him for bunking classes. He was found four days later near Sancheti hospital. “He had not eaten a morsel of food. When we found him, he was not in a position even to walk,” said Prakash Patekar, a relative.