Missing Indian student in Sydney wanted to ‘test his physical ability’, claims pal

SYDNEY - One of the friends of Abhijeet Swami, a 20-year-old Indian engineering student who has been missing for almost a week in Sydney, has claimed that Swami was “not happy” and wanted to spend time in the mountains instead of studying.

“He changed in the last three weeks, he said he didn’t know what he likes in life and he asked me about that. He was asking me about where to do some [outdoor] climbing in Sydney,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Ryan Hidalgo, Swami’s friend, as saying.

Hidalgo further claimed that Swami had the habit of occasionally going to the Summit Indoor Climbing Centre in Blacktown.He said he can take care of himself and said ‘I just want to test my physical ability…’I'm a strong man, so don’t worry about me. I can eat just one banana a day,” Hidalgo added.

Swami went missing since Friday morning after he left his uncle’s Seven Hills home on a bicycle, wearing a blue jeans, a brown long-sleeved chequered shirt and white sports shoes.

He was studying a two-year diploma of electrical engineering and had planned to get a degree from the University of Western Sydney after finishing his course, his uncle, Surender Gora, said. (ANI)