Ann Arbor doctor Shankar Palaniappan went to Toledo, Ohio over the weekend to meet with some old friends.  He met up with them at around 9p.m.  The club’s closed-circuit video shows him leaving alone around 1a.m.  He hasn’t been seen since.  ABC 13 of Toledo reports (thanks for the tip Kumar):

Right now police don’t have many clues. They say the disappearance of the 26-year-old looks suspicious. Family and friends say it’s totally out of character for Shankar Palaniappan to ignore phone calls and not show up for work. That’s why today they an issued an emotional plea for help.

What started out as a night of fun at a Toledo hot spot has turned into a family’s desperate search for a young doctor. Shankar Palaniappan came to Toledo Saturday night to meet some old college friends. Police say the young doctor and his friends arrived at Gumbo’s/Sin Nightclub at the docks around 9 p.m. But at the end of the night, friends went in search of Palaniappan and they couldn’t find him. Police are calling the case suspicious.

Palaniappan’s family flew from Indiana to Toledo this morning desperate for any information about their son. Family members say Shankar Palaniappan is a medical intern at St. Joe’s Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor. They say he’s always in contact with them and they haven’t heard from him since Saturday night.

This story immediately reminded me of the very similar circumstances that surrounded the disappearance of Arvin Sharma in Washington D.C. back in April.  He too went to a club with his friends and was nowhere to be seen at the end of the night, his body recovered days later.  As far as I know, no suspect was ever arrested for his murder (if it was a murder).  Let’s pray for a more positive ending in this case.  Palaniappan’s parents made an emotional plea on television asking for help from anyone who may know where their son is.

Shankar Palaniappan… “My son is a very hard-working, sincere, dedicated young man,” said Ramanathan Palaniappan. With tears in his eyes, he went on, “I hope he’s okay, and if he’s out there, please give us a call.” It’s every parent’s worst fear, and Shankar’s mother and father are extremely concerned something has happened to their only son.

“We’ve been trying to reach him on his cell phone, and there’s no answer,” said Ramanathan. “He usually checks in with his family, he usually checks in with work, and at 1:04 in the morning, Saturday night, or Sunday morning, no one has heard from him since. We consider that very serious,” said Sgt. Tim Noble with Toledo Police. [Link]

Anyone that has information in this missing person case should call: 419-255-1111.

Update: Sad news. Palaniappan’s body has been found.