Sneha was well behaved, regular at college: Principal

Sneha Debanath, a 19-year-old Delhi University student, whose body was recovered from the Yamuna on Sunday, was a regular, attentive and bright student at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College. She had even taken all her exams just a month ago.

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Speaking to The Tribune on Monday, Gyanatosh Kumar Jha, principal of the college, said: “Sneha was a very well-behaved girl. She was regular at college and was pursuing BA in Mathematics. Sneha gave all her exams of the second semester. After the last exam on June 19, the college closed for vacations. Now, I am hearing this terrible news.”

Jha said he came to know about Sneha going missing only on July 11 from her family and the social media.

The principal lamented the demise of the first-year student, who was residing with her family at Paryavaran Complex, South Delhi.

She went missing on July 7 after a cab driver dropped her off at the Signature Bridge in Wazirabad. The NDRF and the Delhi Police launched a joint search operation. On July 13, her body was recovered from the Yamuna.

A handwritten note recovered from Sneha’s room read: “It was no one’s fault but mine and only mine. There is no foul play. This was all my decision.”

Sneha’s family remains unconvinced. They have raised concerns over the vagueness of the note and the location from where Sneha went missing — an area with no surveillance cameras. Her sister and relatives are demanding accountability and a thorough investigation beyond what the note suggests.

Despite attempts by The Tribune, her family members could not be contacted.

A friend of Sneha, who was present with her parents at Parivahan Complex on Monday, said the family was not in a position to talk.

“Her family members are in a state of shock. They had shifted to New Delhi for better education of their daughter. This incident has shattered all their hopes. We are all stunned,” she said on answering the phone number the family had mentioned in the note seeking help to find their missing daughter.

Requesting anonymity, a neighbor of Sneha said:“I came to know about Sneha’s disappearance on July 9. On Sunday night, I came to know that her body was recovered near Signature Bridge. When I met her on July 7, she sounded normal and fine.”

The Delhi Police are examining the authenticity of the suicide note and whether foul play can be entirely ruled out.

Meanwhile, Sneha’s college, which is closed for vacations, is yet to release an official statement beyond the principal’s remarks. The college will reopen on August 1.

Cops probing all angles

Meanwhile, the Delhi Police are investigating every possible angle in the alleged suicide of Sneha Debnath, an official said on Monday. “Things will become clear only after the postmortem report. We are probing every possible angle related to her demise,” the official added.