Police have launched a homicide inquiry into the
disappearance of missing man Amandeep Singh and say they are
looking for his body.
Mr Singh, aged 22, has now been missing for 26 days.
What had previously been listed as a missing person case was
upgraded to a murder inquiry this morning.
Extra detectives and ESR scientists have been brought in to
support the inquiry.
The Indian national left his home at the western end of
Gladstone Road in Gisborne at 11pm on December 29.
He was driving his silver Mazda Lantis car (WG5108), which
was found abandoned in Dalton Street in the suburb of Kaiti
about 11am the following morning.
Officer in charge of the inquiry Detective Sergeant Kevin
Ford says police believe Mr Singh is dead.
"Our long-term aim is to find his body and return it to his
family."
Police believed people in the community knew what has
happened to him.
"We appeal to them to come forward."
The team of ESR scientists assisting the investigation
yesterday examined the car Mr Singh owned, in the hunt for
clues that will assist with the inquiry.
Det Sgt Ford would not comment on the result of that
examination at this stage.
"We have also got some out-of-town detectives here to help."
Investigators are still particularly interested in confirming
the movements of Mr Singh's car over the 12-hour period
before it was found in Dalton Street.
"It was found in an empty section in the street, about half
way down the street," says Det Sgt Ford.
Police earlier this week revealed that Mr Singh's bank
accounts had not been touched since his disappearance.
Mr Singh's family in India and friends in Gisborne have all
expressed deepening concern for his safety and wellbeing, as
have police.
His disappearance is a common talking point in the community,
with many people expressing concern that someone could go
missing for such a length of time in Gisborne.
"What has happened to him?" a local resident said this
morning. "It's such a worry that someone could just vanish
here.
"Someone must know where he is." .
Det Sgt Ford says police want to know where he went and who
he was with on the night of December 29.
"It is known he left home alone at 11pm that night.
"We believe he went to either the BW campground area or the
Rhythm and Vines music festival, but we are not sure."
Mr Singh was a field worker for a contracting company that
does a range of work in the Poverty Bay area.
He had been in Gisborne since September last year.
Anyone with information that can assist the homicide inquiry
is asked to contact Det Sgt Ford at Gisborne police station,
phone 06 869 0200.
- Murray Robertson, Gisborne Herald
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.