College student found dead in Greater Noida, family alleges foul play

Police said Yashasvi Raj’s local guardian had filed a missing person’s complaint on October 13, saying that he had been missing since the previous evening.

A second-year student at Galgotias University in Greater Noida was found dead on Saturday, police said, adding that he had been missing for three days.

Yashasvi Raj, 22, a native of Patna, was pursuing his BSc in Agriculture at Galgotias University. (HT Photo)

Yashasvi Raj, 22, who is from Patna, was pursuing his BSc in Agriculture at Galgotias University. Police said his local guardian Anita Kumari, a resident of New Ashok Nagar in Delhi, had filed a missing person’s complaint on October 13, saying that Raj had been missing since the previous evening.

Additional deputy commissioner of police (Greater Noida) Vishal Pandey said, “Police received information about a body lying unattended near a drain about 800 meters from the university gate at around 1:30 pm on Saturday, following which a team was rushed to the spot. The deceased was identified and his family members were informed.”

Pandey said there were no visible marks or wounds on the body. “The man’s wallet and watch was also found with him. The body was taken into custody and sent for post mortem. Further investigation is underway,” he said.

Raj’s family has said they suspect foul play, pointing fingers at his friends with whom he went to a market in nearby Dankaur village.

Kumari, the local guardian, said, “Yashasvi spoke to his mother at around 7:25 pm on Wednesday (October 12) and told her he would call her after reaching his hostel as his phone’s battery was dying. His phone was switched off from around 7:50pm. The last time he spoke to his family, he told them that he had gone to the Dankaur market with his friend. The next morning, when his phone was still switched off, we rushed to his hostel, where the college officials told us he hadn’t returned.”

After being told that Raj was still to return, Kumari filed a missing person’s report at the Dankaur police station. “The police officers carried out a recce of the area and circulated Yashasvi’s pictures around... When the family tried to speak to his friends, they ignored us. On Saturday, we received information about his death,” she said.

A university official, on condition of anonymity, said on October 12, Raj and three of his friends left the institute at 4pm. At 7pm, when the roll call for the hostel was made, all four were absent.

“As per procedure, the hostel warden informed the students’ families and local guardians that the students have not returned. By 10 pm, three of the students had returned but Raj did not,” the official said.

Dankaur police station SHO Radha Raman Singh said police have uncovered CCTV footage of the deceased in Dankaur. “In the CCTV footage, Yashasvi can be seen going to Dankaur market with three friends. At around 10 pm, he is seen coming out of the market alone. It can be seen that Yashasvi took an auto-rickshaw from Dankaur kasba but the auto-driver dropped him back. He is then seen walking in the area alone, after which there is no more CCTV footage of him,” Singh said.

The SHO added that the auto-driver in question has been questioned. “The auto-driver said Yashasvi was misbehaving with him and hence he dropped him off back at the spot. From here, Yashasvi can be seen walking around the area in the CCTV footage,” he said.