Praveen Kumar (26) has moderate mental retardation and works at The Savera hotel in Mylapore. He was on his way to work with his mother around 6.30 am when he went missing. 

According to his mother Vijaylakshmi Manivalan (50), when their bus arrived at Adyar gate, she boarded the bus from the front door, expecting Praveen to get in from the rear one. 

“Once she was inside the bus, however, she realised that Praveen was not on the bus. She stopped the bus and rushed to the stop to look for him but in vain,” said their neighbour Karthik Loginathan. He added that Vijaylakshmi even went to The Savera to find that he had not reached the hotel either. 

Kalpana Rao from Vidya Sagar Spastic Society, who knew Praveen, said, “He has a basic understanding of things and places. His mother realised that he may have boarded the next bus or walked away in panic. We have been asking people around and filed a complaint at the Teynampet police station.” While the police is investigating the case, members of the Spastic Society too are looking for him.