Missing Delhi University student Sneha Debnath found dead in Yamuna; Family alleges CCTV failure at Signature Bridge

Dubai: Sneha Debnath, a 19-year-old Delhi University mathematics student from Tripura, who had been missing for six days, was found dead in the Yamuna River on Sunday, the Delhi Police confirmed.

Her body was recovered near Geeta Colony flyover — about 10km downstream from her last known location at north Delhi’s Signature Bridge.

The discovery ends a frantic search led by her family and the police after Sneha left her home on July 7 and never returned.

A handwritten note recovered by authorities indicated her intention to die by suicide, according to Indian media reports.

She was not troubled by academics, but her distress was likely rooted in personal or family-related issues, reports said quoting police sources.

Sneha had booked a cab to Signature Bridge on the morning of July 7. The driver confirmed dropping her off at the location. Witnesses reportedly saw a young woman standing on the bridge shortly before she disappeared from view.

“Her movements were traced using technical surveillance. Her last location was confirmed near the Signature Bridge,” a police officer said. A large-scale search operation was launched involving the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Delhi Police teams, scanning the river stretch from Nigam Bodh Ghat to Noida.

The body has been sent for autopsy to determine the exact cause and time of death. Meanwhile, questions have emerged over surveillance failures in the area.

Her family and friends raised serious concerns, alleging that none of the CCTV cameras on or near Signature Bridge were operational at the time of her disappearance — a lapse they say may have cost critical time in the search effort.

“How could not even one camera be working in such a high-profile location?” a family friend asked. “There might have been a chance to intervene if there was real-time monitoring.”

Sneha had sent emails and messages to close friends in the early hours of July 7. According to investigators, her friends described her as emotionally distressed in recent months, though she reportedly did not confide in many.

Daughter of Pritthis Debnath, a former military serviceman, Sneha had been studying in Delhi while her family — a four-member household — had been living in the capital for several years.

Her father persistently appealed to Delhi Police for urgent action and even sought the intervention of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, to expedite efforts to find his daughter.

Police said Sneha had not withdrawn money from her bank account in recent months and left home without any belongings — a detail that further deepened concerns from the beginning. Her bank account remains untouched.

As investigations continue, the tragic end to Sneha Debnath’s life raises urgent questions about mental health support for young students, surveillance infrastructure in high-risk areas like Signature Bridge and the speed of emergency response.