Tripura student, missing for six days in Delhi, found dead under river bridge

19-year-old Sneha Debnath, a second-year B.Sc Mathematics student at Delhi University’s Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, who had been missing since July 7, was found dead in the Yamuna River near Geeta Colony, East Delhi, on Sunday.

Sneha, a native of Tripura, was residing with her family in Delhi’s Paryavaran Complex. According to her sister Bipasha Debnath’s complaint, Sneha left home early on July 7, informing their mother that she was going to drop her friend Pitunia at Sarai Rohilla Railway Station. She boarded a cab at around 5:15 a.m., driven by Subhe Chandra.

However, when Sneha’s phone was found switched off by 8:45 a.m., concerns escalated. Upon contacting Pitunia, the family discovered that Sneha never reached her. The cab driver later informed the family that he had dropped Sneha at the Signature Bridge in Wazirabad.

A handwritten note discovered by the family indicated that Sneha might have intended to end her life by jumping from the Signature Bridge. CCTV footage from the area, however, failed to track her movements after she exited the cab, due to limited surveillance coverage.

Following her disappearance, Delhi Police launched a large-scale search operation with support from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF). Despite combing a seven-kilometre stretch of the river, the initial days yielded no results. Eyewitnesses later claimed to have seen a young girl standing alone on the bridge before vanishing from sight.

A joint rescue and search operation was extended from Nigam Bodh Ghat to Noida. On Sunday, authorities recovered Sneha’s body from the Yamuna near Geeta Colony. Identification was later confirmed by her family.

Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha expressed profound sorrow over the incident and confirmed that his office had been in touch with Delhi authorities to expedite the investigation. “This is a heartbreaking incident. I have directed Tripura Bhawan to provide all possible support to the bereaved family and ensure necessary legal assistance,” he said, adding that a full investigation is underway to determine the exact circumstances surrounding Sneha’s death.

Tipra Motha chairman and royal scion Pradyot Manikya Debbarma also extended his condolences to Sneha’s family. “My deepest condolences to the friends and family of Sneha. I urge everyone to refrain from speculation during this extremely difficult time,” he said in a statement.

While preliminary findings suggest suicide, the Delhi Police have not ruled out other possibilities and emphasized that a comprehensive investigation is ongoing.