KS KS - Srinivasu Dasari, 30, Overland Park, 2 August 1984

[Atombudd]

Srinivasu Dasari – The Charley Project
Srinivasu Dasari

• 

Dasari, circa 1984

• Missing Since 08/02/1984
• Missing From Overland Park, Kansas
• Classification Missing
• Sex Male
• Race Asian
• Age 30 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6, 115 pounds
• Distinguishing Characteristics Asian male. Black hair, brown eyes.

Details of Disappearance
Dasari was last seen in Overland Park, Kansas on August 2, 1984. He has never been heard from again. Few details are available in his case.
Article from Aug 6 1984 Dasari was a native of India.
Srinivasu Dasari - Newspapers.com

 

[Deleted member 252820]

Some more newspaper clippings:

Kansas City Star, August 7, 1984
Leads fade in disappearance

Kansas City Times, August 7, 1984
Police checking van similar to one in which missing man was seen

Kansas City Star, September 5 1984:
Disappearance, threats may be linked

Kansas City Star, February 4, 1985
The mysterious case of the missing doctor, page 1 and 2
Photo of Dr. Dasari and his car

 

[Reasonable & Just]

Handsome man. I wonder what the situation with the wheel and the men in the van could have been. Sounds like a lot of work for two guys to kidnap a small, quiet man.

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I did some googling. There's really no information, other than the links graciously posted here by @atombudd - thank you for that. Charley Project has next to nothing, and the KBI is the same, in addition to not correctly capturing his ethnicity. Did they just stop looking and updating his file? Did this man want to disappear? But if so, why involve two other guys and a wheel?

Srinivasu Dasari – The Charley Project
Details - Kansas Missing Persons

 

[Deleted member 252820]

I did some googling. There's really no information, other than the links graciously posted here by @atombudd - thank you for that. Charley Project has next to nothing, and the KBI is the same, in addition to not correctly capturing his ethnicity. Did they just stop looking and updating his file? Did this man want to disappear? But if so, why involve two other guys and a wheel?

Srinivasu Dasari – The Charley Project
Details - Kansas Missing Persons

I don't think this was a voluntary disappearance, unfortunately (seems like LE didn't, either). Based on the February 1985 article, sounds like they just had very little to go on. I have found one other detail online besides what's in the articles... according to Perfect Enemy: The Law Enforcement Manual of Islamist Terrorism by Captain Dean T. Olson, members of the terrorist group Jamaat al-Fuqra are suspected of possibly having kidnapped and murdered Dr. Dasari. Per that book:

"August 1984 — A Hindu physician, Srinivasu Dasari, of Overland Park, KS, was kidnapped. He remains missing and is presumed dead. Police reportedly suspect members of Jamaat al-Fuqra."

This seems to line up with some of the other things mentioned in the articles: the murders of Leela Nevaskar and her family (on the same date as Dr. Dasari's disappearance), which are now strongly believed to have been al-Fuqra's work, and the letters threatening Hindus to leave the country before August 1984 (though those were allegedly sent by the "Republic of Khalistan", but it could have been a deliberate misdirect? that being said, could have been unrelated). It's all far from any kind of proof, though.

It's also worth noting that the articles all give August 1st as the date of Dr. Dasari's disappearance, but they say his sister didn't report him missing till the next day, so maybe KBI is basing the date off of the report.

 

[Laughing]

Nothing to add, except that I lived a mile from the family's address at the time of Dr. Dasari's disappearance.

Nice, quiet area....

jmho ymmv lrr

 

[Reasonable & Just]

I don't think this was a voluntary disappearance, unfortunately (seems like LE didn't, either). Based on the February 1985 article, sounds like they just had very little to go on. I have found one other detail online besides what's in the articles... according to Perfect Enemy: The Law Enforcement Manual of Islamist Terrorism by Captain Dean T. Olson, members of the terrorist group Jamaat al-Fuqra are suspected of possibly having kidnapped and murdered Dr. Dasari. Per that book:

"August 1984 — A Hindu physician, Srinivasu Dasari, of Overland Park, KS, was kidnapped. He remains missing and is presumed dead. Police reportedly suspect members of Jamaat al-Fuqra."

This seems to line up with some of the other things mentioned in the articles: the murders of Leela Nevaskar and her family (on the same date as Dr. Dasari's disappearance), which are now strongly believed to have been al-Fuqra's work, and the letters threatening Hindus to leave the country before August 1984 (though those were allegedly sent by the "Republic of Khalistan", but it could have been a deliberate misdirect? that being said, could have been unrelated). It's all far from any kind of proof, though.

It's also worth noting that the articles all give August 1st as the date of Dr. Dasari's disappearance, but they say his sister didn't report him missing till the next day, so maybe KBI is basing the date off of the report.

Oh wow, thank you for the information about this possibility. If it was terrorism (making a statement against Hindus/Indian immigrants), I do wonder why his body was never found or at least some sort of "publicizing" by the group.

 

[Atombudd]

I don't think this was a voluntary disappearance, unfortunately (seems like LE didn't, either). Based on the February 1985 article, sounds like they just had very little to go on. I have found one other detail online besides what's in the articles... according to Perfect Enemy: The Law Enforcement Manual of Islamist Terrorism by Captain Dean T. Olson, members of the terrorist group Jamaat al-Fuqra are suspected of possibly having kidnapped and murdered Dr. Dasari.

That was my feeling on what happened to him. I just couldn't understand the tire. Unless the tire was going flat or was having an issue (which I suppose could have been tampered with prior) and then they followed him and when he pulled over offered to help him. I don't know they could have just abducted him, why make him remove the tire. It's very strange but I get the feeling maybe the family believed that was what happened to him, they fled the state afterwards fearing for their safety. A mystery indeed!

 

[Pennysmom1]

5722DMKS - Srinivasu Dasari

Name: Srinivasu Dasari
Case Classification: Endangered Missing
Missing Since: August 1, 1984
Location Last Seen: Overland Park, Johnson County, Kansas

Physical Description​

Date of Birth: Unknown
Age: 30 years old
Race: Other
Gender: Male
Height: 5'6"
Weight: 115 lbs.
Hair Color: Black
Eye Color: Brown
Nickname/Alias: Unknown
Distinguishing Marks/Features: Originally from India

Identifiers​

Dentals: Unknown
Fingerprints: Unknown
DNA: Unknown

Clothing & Personal Items​

Clothing: Unknown
Jewelry: Unknown
Additional Personal Items: Unknown

Circumstances of Disappearance​

Dr. Srinivasu Dasari, a general practitioner from India, was living in a town house at 9223 West 102nd Street with his sister and her husband while studying to become a licensed physician in the United States. He had moved to the US in 1983.

On August 1, 1984, at around 1:30 p.m., Srinivasu went to a copying center at 91st Street and Metcalf Avenue, 3 miles from where he lived, where he was seen copying papers for school.

At 2 p.m., witnesses told police that Srinivasu parked his car on a side street and watched two men in a 1969-1974 greenish-blue Ford van with large side windows approach him. They waved, a greeting was called, they spoke briefly, then Srinivasu returned to his red Toyota and followed the van into the Meadowlark Hill Apartments parking lot, located less than .5 miles away from the copying center. One of the men placed a hydraulic jack under the car, lifted it off the ground, and removed the right rear tire. All three men climbed into the van, taking the wheel but leaving the car on the jack. Then the van was driven out of the parking lot and Srinivasu has not been seen since.

Overland Park's crime lab processed Srinivasu's car. They noted the remaining tires had no wear pattern, and the spare tire in the hatchback was in good condition. Investigators learned Srinivasu was a quiet, introverted man who had few friends; his only contacts were family and his school. He had no social life. Two witnesses had seen Srinivasu with the men in the van at the apartments that afternoon. A third witness saw the van parked outside Srinivasu's town house the morning of his disappearance. Police believe Srinivasu got into the van willingly, but something went wrong afterward, and they suspect foul play.

Investigating Agency(s)​

Agency Name: Overland Park Police Department
Agency Contact Person: N/A
Agency Phone Number: 913-895-6300
Agency E-Mail: N/A
Agency Case Number: N/A

KBI Case Number: M121679635

Information Source(s)​

KBI
The Kansas City Star - Aug. 7, 1984 & Feb. 4, 1985

Admin Notes​

Added: 4/21/22; Last Updated: 4/21/22 - By: hb

 

[Caring1]

 

[UCFKnightInKC]

I don't have anything much to add here, but when I lived in those apartments in 1987 I remember his missing picture by the mailbox area. I still live close to that area and they haven't changed in the 35 + years.

 

[AirForceVet24]

I am surprised that hes not on NamUs.