The tragic death of Sneha Debnath, a 19-year-old student from Tripura who went missing on July 7, has shocked the entire country. Her body was recovered from the Yamuna River in Delhi on Sunday by the Delhi Police and NDRF, bringing a heartbreaking end to a week-long search. The search operation had begun after a suspected suicide note was found at her home.
Family blames authorities over non-functional CCTVs
While the search for Sneha Debnath was still ongoing, her family created an online dashboard to gather any public tips about her possible whereabouts. They invited people to share any information that might help locate her.
In one of the posts, Sneha’s sister slammed the authorities for the lack of working CCTV cameras at Signature Bridge, an area known to be high-risk. She said it was shocking that in such a sensitive location, none of the surveillance cameras were working. The family was frustrated because they had no video footage to rely on, which could have been a key clue in finding Sneha sooner.
The family accused the authorities of being careless and urged both the central and state governments to take action. They believed that if the CCTVs were functioning, they might have had some solid leads early in the investigation.
A friend of Sneha also raised concerns, saying the cameras near the bridge and surrounding areas were not working. She pointed out that the Signature Bridge has been known for past suicide cases, yet no efforts had been made to fix or install proper surveillance. “Despite the Signature Bridge being a suicide-prone area, there is not a single CCTV camera that works on the bridge or in nearby areas,” she alleged.
Eyewitnesses reportedly told the police they had seen a girl standing alone on the bridge before the incident, but no camera footage could confirm this due to the non-functional CCTVs. The lack of video evidence has been a major setback in understanding exactly what happened to Sneha.
The family’s pain has been made worse by what they see as system failures and inaction in high-risk zones. Their criticism has added to the larger debate about public safety measures and the need for working surveillance in sensitive areas.
Sneha shifted to Delhi for ‘better educational opportunities’
According to a PTI report, Sneha, who was from Sabroom in Tripura, had moved to Delhi with her family in search of better education opportunities. She was a second-year student at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College under Delhi University.
Her father, Pritish Debnath, a former army man from Bhuratali village in South Tripura, had relocated to Delhi with the hope of giving his two daughters a better future, the report said. Sneha’s elder sister, Bipasa, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Mathematics.
The news of Sneha’s death has left her family in deep shock. Her father, overwhelmed with grief, said, “I can’t say anything now… I am not in a position to talk to anybody about what is going on in my mind.”
Sneha’s cousin, Ashim Debnath, said that the entire family is devastated. “We are devastated, shocked and speechless by the death of Sneha who went to Delhi for a bright career. My uncle, with whom I spoke on Sunday night, was deeply shattered by the tragic death of his younger daughter,” he said. He also mentioned that the family was planning to return to their hometown after both daughters completed their education.
Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who had earlier intervened in the case to push for a search operation, expressed his sorrow over the incident. Saha took to X and posted, “I express my grief over her death, and my sympathy is with the bereaved family. I ask the authority of Tripura Bhavan, New Delhi to render all possible help to the family.”
He also added, “Initial investigation reveals that she died by suicide by jumping into the river. A full-fledged probe is underway to know the reason behind the incident.”