Dr. Kumar remains missing; TBI contacted for assistance
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Dragging operations, which have been conducted by the Warren County Rescue Squad since the doctor disappeared last Tuesday, have had no success finding Kumar. Recovery teams have discontinued dragging efforts on the Collins River for the most part this week after combing the shallow river nearly every day last week. Rescue squad director Fred Hillis said the team has drug the river more than a mile and a half downstream from the point Kumar was last supposedly seen.
It was first assumed Kumar had jumped into the freezing river off a dock behind his house in a suicide attempt. A friend who was nearby reported Kumar had threatened suicide and then walked toward the river, from where he did not return. Searchers found one set of footprints leading to the river and none leading back. Hillis said no footprints were found on the other side of the river.
However, the inability of the recovery team to find a body has some close to the investigation looking in other directions. Sheriff Jackie Matheny said his department is still treating the Kumar disappearance as a missing persons case but is not concentrating solely on a suicide drowning scenario.
The request for the TBI to join the case is also likely an indication lawmen are pursuing other options. District Attorney General Dale Potter confirmed TBI assistance has been requested, noting the agency is normally not requested to investigate suicidal drownings.
While speculation abounds as to the whereabouts of Kumar, Potter said the doctor, had he disappeared on his own accord and not drown, has technically not committed any crime. Potter, whose office has not been called in to officially investigate the disappearance, pointed out the alleged suicide statement was not made to any official agency by Kumar and the doctor obviously did not report his own disappearance, therefore he could not be prosecuted for filing a false report.