The Star Malaysia

Missing after gym class

A teenage boy who told his parents he was going to a gym on Friday has not returned home since then.

- By YUEN MEIKENG meikeng@thestar.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR: A teenage boy who told his parents he was going to a gym on Friday has not returned home since.

M. Jethendran, 16, had called his mother at about 3.45pm on that day to say he was taking a taxi back to their home in Sri Petaling from his gym class in Taman Desa, about 10km away.

However, he did not show up and calls to his handphone went unanswered.

His family said they have lodged two police reports and a CCTV recording from a shop near the gym captured images of the teenager walking out of his class.

Brickfield­s district police chief Asst Comm Muhammad Azlee Abdullah confirmed receiving a report on the missing boy.

The boy’s father, R. Mahadheven, 49, a mechanic, said Jethendran, the eldest of three siblings, had been returning home in a taxi from the gym since the past month.

“I used to drive him to Taman Desa and fetch him back. But I wanted him to learn to be independen­t so I asked him to take the taxi home,” a distraught Mahadheven told reporters here yesterday.

He added there was no disagreeme­nt between his son and any of his family members before he went missing.

Describing his son as a good boy and a skilled footballer, Mahadheven said the family has been conducting prayers for Jethendran’s safe return everyday since his disappeara­nce.

Holding back tears, he added: “I’m very sad. My youngest son, who is only four, keeps asking me about his big brother,”

Gym trainer Florian Kosta, 39, with whom Jethendran had been training for over four years, said the boy had not shown any unusual behaviour that day.

Meanwhile, Lembah Pantai MIC vice-chairman D. Thangaraj said Jethendran was last seen in a longsleeve­d white shirt and carrying a backpack.

The boy is 1.67m tall and wears braces.

Those with informatio­n on the missing teen can call Thangaraj at 013-351 4209 or Mahadheven at 010-215 1907.

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 ??  ?? Worried sick: Mahadheven showing photograph­s of Jethendran during a press conference.
Worried sick: Mahadheven showing photograph­s of Jethendran during a press conference.

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