Tragic update on Aussie maths teacher who mysteriously vanished in India - as his brother is charged with murder

By KYLIE STEVENS, SENIOR BREAKING NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 14:05, 6 June 2026 | Updated: 14:06, 6 June 2026 The brother of a Melbourne father who disappeared in India has been arrested and charged with his murder. Diamond Valley College maths teacher Sunil Sharma, 66, travelled to India last month to oversee renovations at his investment properties in Amritsar, in Punjab when he unexpectedly ceased contact with his family back home on May 22. The father-of-two's mobile phone has been switched off ever since, raising fears about his safety, with his disappearance being treated as suspicious. His daughter Surbhi has spent the last fortnight frantically contacting relatives in the hope of finding him. Her uncle was allegedly the last person to see his brother alive. Police in India announced on Saturday that Satish Sharma had been charged with murder. Two other family members have also been arrested and charged. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar, Kanwalpreet Singh alleged that Mr Sharma was spiked with sleeping pills before he was bludgeoned with a baseball bat on May 22. Diamond Valley College maths teacher Sunil Sharma, 66 (pictured left with his children) mysteriously vanished in India fortnight ago Police in India have charged Satish Sharma over the death of his brother Sunil (pictured) Mr Sharma's body was allegedly dumped into a canal near Harik, which has since been recovered. His daughter paid an emotional tribute following the update. 'Anyone who's met my dad will say he is intelligent, strong and funny, but he is also loving and sensitive. I count myself so lucky to have had a father like him,' she told Seven News in a statement. Mr Sharma had been a maths teacher his entire adult life and spent the last 15 years at Melbourne's Diamond Valley College. 'It warms my heart to read and know he gave the gift of education to hundreds of students over the course of his life,' his daughter added. Mr Sharma had been in India to sell his investment properties so he could return to Australia to retire. CCTV footage from one of the properties showed Mr Sharma arriving and leaving twice while overseeing a group of painters on May 22, the last day he was seen alive. His worried daughter launched a public appeal a week later. Suni's daughter Surbhi has spent the last fortnight frantically contacting relatives in the hope of finding him before the search came to a tragic end on Saturday Ms Sharma also released an emotional video message appealing for help from the public and authorities in India.  'I just can't understand where he could be,' she said. 'It's been really hard, and every day that goes by, it's really tough. 'I just really hope that they're just searching for him everywhere.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.