A 27-year-old schoolteacher from Guwahati, Bhabana Sarma, who sparked widespread alarm after sending a distress message reading “I am in danger” to her mother while travelling in a cab on April 24, has been traced alive in Shillong, Meghalaya.
Her phone had switched off shortly after the message, and her last known location was traced near the Gauhati University area, prompting her family to file a complaint at Jalukbari Police Station and triggering a police search operation.
In the latest development, Meghalaya Police confirmed that Sarma was found on April 25 in the Polo Ground area of Shillong in a disoriented condition and taken for medical examination. Authorities from both Assam and Meghalaya are now coordinating the investigation, while her family and a Guwahati Police team have travelled to Shillong to bring her back and determine what transpired during the period she was missing.
Distress Message Triggers Urgent Search
The incident began on Friday morning when Sarma reportedly left her residence in Tetelia on the outskirts of Guwahati and hired a cab to travel towards Azara. During the journey, she allegedly sent a message to her mother around 11 am stating that she was “in danger.”
Soon after, her phone became unreachable, and repeated attempts by family members to contact her failed, raising fears that she may have been abducted or harmed. Alarmed relatives quickly approached Jalukbari Police Station and filed a missing person complaint.
Acting on the complaint, police began tracing her movements using technical inputs and mobile tower data. Investigators said her last known location was traced near the Gauhati University area before her phone went offline.
The distress message quickly triggered anxiety among family members and the wider community, with appeals for information circulating widely on social media. Meanwhile, police teams worked to reconstruct her route and identify the vehicle she had boarded.
Teacher Found In Shillong, Investigation Continues
Nearly a day after she was reported missing, Sarma was located in Shillong, around 100 kilometres from Guwahati, bringing relief to her family and the community that had been closely following the case. According to Meghalaya Police, she was found in the Polo Ground area of the city after bystanders noticed her in a distressed and disoriented condition and alerted authorities.
She was later taken to Sadar Police Station and sent for medical examination at Civil Hospital in Shillong. Deputy Inspector General of Police (Eastern Range) Vivekananda Singh Rathore said Sarma was unable to clearly recount what had happened after reaching Jalukbari and appeared confused about how she arrived in Shillong.
“She remembers only till Jalukbari, after that she doesn’t recollect anything,” Rathore said, adding that investigators suspect she may have been “spiked,” although the exact circumstances remain unclear. Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem also confirmed that Sarma was not in a condition to immediately provide a detailed statement, and that further questioning would take place once she had recovered from the ordeal.
Authorities also revealed that she was discovered early on Saturday morning after people in the area noticed her condition and informed police. Some reports suggested she was found near a bank branch or hotel premises in the Polo Ground locality, though officials said details about the exact circumstances were still being verified.
Meanwhile, Guwahati Police were informed of the development and immediately began coordinating with their counterparts in Meghalaya. A police team from Assam, accompanied by Sarma’s family members, has since travelled to Shillong to meet her and bring her back to Guwahati.
Investigators say the case is still unfolding, and several aspects including how she travelled to another state, what occurred between the time she sent the distress message and when she was found, and whether any criminal activity was involved will only become clearer after she is medically examined and able to give a full statement.
The case has drawn significant public attention, particularly because of the chilling nature of the distress message and the sudden disappearance that followed. Within hours of the news spreading, concerned citizens across Guwahati began sharing appeals on social media, urging anyone with information to contact the family or the police.
Such collective mobilisation reflected both the anxiety surrounding the safety of women travelling alone and the growing role of digital networks in amplifying missing-person cases. While the discovery of Sarma alive has brought relief, the unanswered questions surrounding her disappearance have also raised concerns about safety in public transport and the potential vulnerabilities people face while commuting alone.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The discovery of Bhabana Sarma alive offers immense relief after a frightening sequence of events that began with a simple but alarming message: “I am in danger.” At the same time, the case highlights how quickly fear and speculation can spread when information is incomplete.
In moments like these, responsible reporting, empathy towards the individual involved, and patience while authorities investigate the facts become crucial. It is equally important that institutions from law enforcement agencies to transport services strengthen safety mechanisms so that individuals travelling alone feel protected and supported.
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