Relief swept through the family of 15-year-old rifle shooter Damayanti Sen after she was found safe nearly 40 hours after she went missing. Her coach, Olympian Joydeep Karmakar, confirmed the development on social media, stating, “Damayanti has been found; she is safe and well.” According to police sources, Damayanti was located on Saturday morning at Ramkrishnapur Ghat along the banks of the Ganges in Howrah. She had gone missing on Thursday morning after leaving home, reportedly to go shopping, but did not return.
Initial reports suggested that Damayanti may have left following a disagreement over balancing sports and academics. However, her family has denied any domestic discord, maintaining that such a step was out of character for her.
As the case gained attention, the Howrah Police formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in coordination with Chandannagar Police after a tip-off indicated she had been seen in Chandannagar in adjoining Hooghly district. Investigators later traced her movements across districts, including travel between Howrah and Serampore, before she returned to Howrah.
CCTV footage from Howrah Station showed Damayanti walking alone on platforms 4 and 5 shortly after she went missing. At the time, she was reportedly wearing a pink half-sleeved T-shirt and shorts and had left her mobile phone at home, complicating efforts to track her movements.
A resident of Umacharan Bhattacharya Lane in central Howrah, Damayanti is a promising shooter training under Joydeep. She had recently secured an opportunity to participate in national team trials, a milestone that had filled her with excitement. Her father, Dhrubajyoti Sen, said she had been training rigorously, maintaining a disciplined routine to prepare for early-morning practice sessions.
Following her recovery, the Sen family expressed gratitude to the police for their swift and coordinated efforts. Authorities have not reported any foul play, and Damayanti is said to be in good health.
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