Fears for father and high school teacher, Sunil Sharma, after he went missing in India. picture: 7News

A Melbourne teacher’s brother has been charged with murder after his body was allegedly dumped in a canal in India.

Sunil Sharma’s body was allegedly dumped in a canal near Harike, about 60km south of where he went missing last month, The Age has reported.

The 66-year-old maths teacher from Diamond Creek in Melbourne went missing from his home in Ashyaana Estate, Amritsar, in northern India near the Pakistan border last month.

Mr Sharma (right) went missing in India last month. Picture: 7News

His brother, Satish Sharma, has been charged with murder, according to reports by The Age.

Three others have been arrested, the masthead reported, but have not been charged at the time of publication.

Mr Sharma was allegedly drugged before he was hit with a baseball bat, with the blow killing him, the masthead reported.

The teacher reportedly owned properties in Punjab according to Indian media outlets, with The Age reporting Mr Sharma’s brother had allegedly tried to steal his property.

Mr Sharma’s daughter, Surbhi, described her father as “one of the most loving and sensitive people you could ever meet” in a touching tribute.

“He had a heart of gold and he gave everything to the people he loved,” Ms Sharma said in a statement.

“I count myself so lucky to have had a father who taught me everything I know about how to live, how to work hard, and how to love your family.”

She urged people not to associate her father with “the actions of his brother”, stating that her father “was a good man” and denying suggestions of any “property dispute”.

Mr Sharma’s body was found in a canal in India. Picture: 7News

Ms Sharma previously issued an emotional plea to authorities and her uncle, fearing her dad may have been kidnapped or killed after he went missing while renovating his house in India.

“My dad’s 66, like it’s 40 degrees plus in India every day. I’m really, really worried about him. I just can’t understand where he could be,” she told 7News at the time.

“He goes to India often, especially since my mum passed away four years ago. So he’s just been trying to sell his properties there so he can come back and retire.”

Ms Sharma was told it was too dangerous for her to travel to India to search for her father herself.

“My brother and I have been told not to go there because it’s not uncommon that family members can also go missing if there is something to do with property or money,” she said.

Mr Sharma (left) was a teacher in Melbourne. Picture: 7News

Ms Sharma said authorities had CCTV, adding: “They’ve got my dad coming to the property (in the) morning, going out for an hour in the afternoon, coming back just before 2pm, just before his phone’s off and then my dad is nowhere to be seen, and his car is completely gone.”

Preliminary investigations by Punjab Police indicate that the homicide was driven by a property dispute.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amritsar, Kanwalpreet Singh, the victim went missing on May 22.