‘Mysterious’ letter claims missing JNU student held captive, cops suspicious

The Delhi Police are probing a “mysterious” letter delivered at Jawaharlal Nehru University four days ago, claiming that missing student student Najeeb Ahmad was held captive in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh.

The Delhi Police are probing a “mysterious” letter delivered at Jawaharlal Nehru University four days ago, claiming that missing student Najeeb Ahmad was held captive in a village in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh.

Najeeb's mother protests at the JNU campus in New Delhi. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The sender, apparently a woman, also claimed to have vital information about Najeeb.

Joint commissioner of police (crime), Ravindra Yadav, said they checking the letter’s veracity and the claims about Najeeb’s whereabouts.

Police sources said the letter was delivered on November 14 at Mahi Mandvi hostel, from where Ahmad went missing on October 15 following a scuffle allegedly with ABVP members the night before.

Read | Missing JNU student Najeeb Ahmed was emotionally disturbed: Cops

“The letter was received by the hostel president on Najeeb’s behalf as it was addressed to Najeeb. The hostel president informed Najeeb’s mother about the mysterious letter and later handed it over to her,” said a police officer. Najeeb’s mother read the letter and informed the investigating officer about its contents. She gave the letter to the crime branch two days later.

“Najeeb told her he had somehow managed to escape. The woman claimed that by the time she could inform the police or seek help from locals, Najeeb was taken away by some people,” the officer said adding the woman had also mentioned an address in Aligarh where she can be contacted.

On Thursday, a crime branch team was sent to Aligarh to meet the woman and to collect information about Najeeb’s whereabouts. However, the family living at the address mentioned said they did not write the letter.

The letter neither mentioned the name of the village where Najeeb was apparently locked up nor about ransom money, the joint CP said.

Read | Najeeb was mild-mannered, always studying, says missing JNU student’s roommate

The police suspect it may have been a prank. “We are trying to find out the location from where the letter was dispatched to JNU’s address,” he said.

Delhi Police have raised the reward from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for anyone providing information that could help trace Najeeb.