MELBOURNE: Australian police have started a search operation to find an Indian-origin woman dentist who has been missing from Sydney since Sunday, according to a media report.
Preethi Reddy, 32, was last seen on CCTV waiting in line at McDonald's in George Street in the city about 2.15 am on the day. She appeared to leave alone a short time later.
Preethi attended a dental convention at St Leonards at the weekend, and last spoke with her family about 11 am on Sunday, saying she planned to head home after having a late breakfast in Sydney. A missing case was filed later that night after she failed to arrive home, according to New South Wales Police who are investigating the missing case.
She was reported missing to Nepean Police Area Command, police added.
Preethi's disappearance is "out of character" and there are serious concerns over her welfare, a New South Wales (NSW) Police spokeswoman said. Her colleagues said they were "terrified" and had been unable to sleep since her disappearance.
"It's devastating, and this is completely out of character," dental assistant Chelsea Holmes of Glenbrook Dental Surgery was quoted as saying by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
"We got a call on Monday asking if she had turned up to work and now we are just hoping and none of us have been able to sleep. I spoke to her last Thursday and it was 'see you next week' and completely normal," she said adding "Now I am just praying she will be found," Holmes said.