Delhi University student missing for 6 days was dropped at Signature Bridge, no CCTV footage from site

A Delhi University student belonging to Tripura, the northeastern state of India has gone missing since July 7 in the national capital under mysterious circumstances. The 19-year-old Sneha Debnath had moved to Delhi and had taken admission in Atama Ram Sanatan Dharma College located in South Delhi.

The incident has prompted action from Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha.

"The report of Miss Sneha Debnath, a resident of Sabroom, who has reportedly gone missing in New Delhi, has come to the notice of the Chief Minister's Office. Following this, necessary instructions have been promptly issued to the police to take immediate and appropriate action," wrote the CM on X.

How Did Sneha Debnath Go Missing

On July 7, Sneha had called up her mother at 5:56 am and said she would be accompanying a friend, Pitunia, to Sarai Rohilla Railway Station. Later, at 8:45 am the family tried to contact her but her phone was switched off and it was confirmed that Pitunia had not met Sneha as claimed, reported news agency ANI.

Notably, a cab driver traced by the family confirmed dropping Sneha near Delhi's Signature Bridge instead of the railway station, reported the news agency. The location is known for its security concerns and poor CCTV coverage. This is evident from the fact that the investigators have not been able to find a single CCTV footage of Sneha as 'not a single CCTV camera was functional'.

"Her mother's last contact with her was at 5.56 am. When we called again a 8.45 am, her phone was found switched off. We later learned that her friend had not met Sneha that morning. Upon contacting the cab driver, we were horrified to learn that, instead of dropping her at (the) railway station, he had dropped her at Signature Bridge, a known critical spot where not a single CCTV camera is functional, creating a huge blind spot," the family said in a statement.

The Signature Bridge across the Yamuna river connects Wazirabad in north Delhi to the northeastern parts of the city.

It was also revealed that the National Disaster Response Force scanned about 7 kilometers of the area but failed to find any trace.

"A 7-kilometre radius search was conducted by the NDRF on 9th July based on Crime Branch's request, yet no trace of Sneha has been found. She had carried no belongings, only her phone. Sneha has not withdrawn any cash for 4 months and her small remaining balance has remained unchanged," the statement read.

Police have registered an First Information Report (FIR) based on a complaint by Sneha's family.

"What is most heartbreaking is that we still have no answers. A First Information Report (FIR) was filed more than 48 hours after Sneha went missing. We firmly believe that had the CCTV cameras on and around Signature Bridge been functional, we might have known by now what happened to our daughter," the family has said.