Sneha Debnath was a 19 year old studying at Delhi University whose body was found dead under the Geeta Colony flyover. She went missing on 7th July and was last seen at Signature Bridge. She moved from Tripura to Delhi with high hopes and dreams. She was pursuing undergraduate course in Mathematics at Delhi University’s Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College and simultaneously pursuing a prestigious online Data Science and Programming course from IIT Madras. According to her LinkedIn account, she was also working as an intern with an Australian company.
Her family describes her as an "overachiever" who never sat idle. Sneha was not just focused on academics; she was financially independent and didn’t want to depend on anyone. Her cousin shared that Sneha was deeply respected in the family despite her young age. She was full of energy, ambitions, and determination.
On her LinkedIn profile, she wrote that “I love talking about mathematics, computer , and the anime, Monster”.
According to Sneha’s friends, she was upset and had been emotionally distressed from few months. Behind her vibrant personality, Sneha had been silently battling inner turmoil. Some believe this could be connected to her family circumstances.
Her father, a retired army officer—Subedar Major (Honorary Lieutenant) Pritish Debnath is critically ill battling kidney failure and undergoing dialysis. Her mother and elder sister, Bipasha, were devastated after Sneha went missing and were inconsolable when her body was found near the Geeta Colony flyover in Delhi.
What happened on 7 July?
Early in the morning, Sneha informed her family that she was going with her friend Pitunia to Sarai Rohilla Railway Station. After that, her phone remained switched off for hours, and her family was unable to reach her.
When they called her friend Pitunia, he claimed that he hadn’t met her, which created panic among her family members. Fearing the worst, her family reported her missing and approached the authorities for help.
Reports later surfaced that Sneha was last seen near Signature Bridge, but this raised an important question: How did she get there? Upon further investigation, it was found that Sneha took a cab to reach Signature Bridge.
In a tragic development, a note was discovered at her house indicating that she planned to end her life by jumping off the bridge.
On 9th July, the Delhi Police, along with an NDRF team, launched an extensive search operation within a 7 km radius of Signature Bridge to locate Sneha.
Later she was found under the Geeta Colony flyover as dead.
The Suicide Note
As the family frantically searched for her, they found a heartbreaking handwritten note left behind by Sneha. As stated by NDTV, In the note, she said :-
“It was my decision, fully conscious and under no influence. I chose to end my life by jumping from Signature Bridge, Delhi, early morning of 7th July. I felt like a failure and a burden and it was getting unbearable to live like this, hence I decided to end it. It was no one's fault but mine and only mine. There is no foul play, this was all my decision.”
The family was left shattered and confused. Her sister Bipasha could not believe what was written. Speaking to the media, she questioned the note’s validity, saying that it does not make any sense. If she really wanted to die, why will she go all the way to the Signature Bridge where not a single CCTV camera was working? She could have chosen any closer place. She fear that Sneha was manipulated.
Unanswered Questions and Lingering Doubts
One of the most troubling aspects of the investigation is that none of the 60 CCTV cameras near the Signature Bridge were working. This massive security lapse made it extremely difficult for the police to trace Sneha’s final moments. The family also alleged that there was a delay and lack of urgency in the police response.
A kidnapping case was registered after she was reported missing. Despite the family's relentless efforts to get answers, they were left in darkness until her body was recovered from the Yamuna river near the Geeta Colony flyover.