The body of 19-year-old Delhi University student Sneha Debnath, missing since July 7, was recovered from the Yamuna River near Geeta Colony flyover in north Delhi. Sneha, a mathematics undergraduate at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College and originally from Tripura, had last spoken to her family early on the day she disappeared.
A handwritten suicide note found in her room revealed her intention to end her life by jumping off the Signature Bridge, where she was last seen. Delhi Police confirmed her last known location through technical surveillance and eyewitness accounts and are investigating the case.
Meanwhile, Sneha’s family has raised serious concerns about non-functional CCTV cameras on the bridge and jurisdictional confusion that delayed rescue efforts.
Search and Discovery Amidst Concerns Over Surveillance
Sneha Debnath was last heard from at 5:56 am on July 7, when she told her mother she was going to drop a friend at Sarai Rohilla railway station. However, the friend later denied meeting her. A cab driver testified that he dropped Sneha at the Signature Bridge, a known suicide-prone spot over the Yamuna River.
Eyewitnesses also reported seeing a young woman standing on the bridge that morning. Despite the presence of over 60 CCTV cameras on and around the bridge, none were operational at the time, except for a speed-monitoring camera capturing still images of vehicles. This critical surveillance failure severely hampered the search efforts.
A joint operation by Delhi Police and the National Disaster Response Force combed the river from Nigam Bodh Ghat to Noida. Sneha’s body was found floating under the Geeta Colony flyover, about 10 km downstream from the bridge, and identified by her family. An FIR was registered under kidnapping and abduction sections, but the suicide note is considered a key piece of evidence indicating her death was self-inflicted.
Family’s Grief and Calls for Accountability
Sneha’s family, residing in south Delhi’s Paryavaran Complex, have expressed profound grief and frustration over the circumstances surrounding her death. Her father, a retired Subedar Major undergoing dialysis, had made emotional appeals on social media for police action.
The family highlighted the lack of coordination among multiple police jurisdictions covering Signature Bridge, which contributed to delayed response and investigation.
They have demanded immediate repair and public audit of all CCTV cameras on the bridge and across Delhi, clear assignment of jurisdiction to avoid confusion, and greater transparency in the ongoing probe. The family also shared that Sneha had been emotionally distressed for months, as evidenced by messages she sent to friends early on July 7, before her disappearance.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This tragic incident exposes glaring gaps in mental health support for students, the maintenance of public safety infrastructure, and law enforcement coordination. The Logical Indian calls upon authorities to prioritise accessible mental health resources and awareness campaigns for young adults facing emotional distress.
Equally urgent is the need to ensure functional surveillance systems in vulnerable public spaces and to establish clear jurisdictional responsibilities for prompt emergency response.
