Missing nuclear scientist sends jitters nationwide, search intensifies

"We don't know under what circumstances he went missing. Intelligence officials have intensified the search," Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters, as the mystery continued over the disappearance of Loknath Mahalingam.

Mahalingam, 47, a senior scientist working with Kaiga Atomic Power Plant for the last 10 years, was reported missing on Monday shortly after he went out from his home for a morning walk in the project township leaving behind his mobile phone and wallet.

Though Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd (NPCIL), which runs the Kaiga power station, said that Mahalingam did not have access to critical nuclear information, yet, his very disappearance is baffling, as he was in good health and spirit.

Ever since the scientist, who was responsible for imparting training in routine operation and maintenance to the plant personnel, which is essentially an educational and skill development function, was reported missing, the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and Karnataka police force have launched a massive hunt to find him.

Though the government officials are tight-lipped about the disappearance of the scientist, sources close to the development said the investigators suspect that he could have been kidnapped or perhaps attacked by wild animals such as a man-eating leopard, which prowl the thick jungles adjacent to the power plant.