15-year-old shooter selected for national trials goes missing in Howrah
Fifteen-year-old national rifle shooter Damayanti Sen has gone missing under mysterious circumstances from West Bengal’s Howrah district, prompting police to launch an investigation and a search operation.
Damayanti, a resident of Umacharan Bhattacharya Lane in central Howrah, reportedly left her home on Friday morning to buy a few items from a nearby shop but never returned. After searching for her unsuccessfully, her family approached the police and lodged a missing person complaint.
According to her family, Damayanti was last seen at a platform at Howrah railway station. Her mobile phone was found at home, leaving investigators with limited clues about her movements after she stepped out.
Her father, Dhruvajyoti Sen, said the teenager had recently earned an opportunity to participate in the national team trials after impressing in rifle shooting competitions. He described her as a disciplined athlete who followed a strict training routine and had shown no signs of distress before her disappearance.
“She trained every morning and had gone to bed early the previous night, as she usually does. There was no argument or anything unusual at home before she left,” her father said, expressing hope that she would return safely.
The disappearance has sparked concern among family members, friends and fellow shooters, many of whom have taken to social media to share her photograph and appeal for information about her whereabouts.
A senior officer of Howrah City Police said a case has been registered and multiple teams have been deployed to trace the teenager.
“After receiving the missing diary, a case has been registered. Wherever we are getting leads, police teams are reaching those locations and conducting inquiries and investigations,” the officer said.
Police are examining CCTV footage from locations around her residence and Howrah railway station while also speaking to people who may have come in contact with the teenager before she went missing.
Authorities have urged anyone with information related to Damayanti Sen’s whereabouts to immediately contact the nearest police station or Howrah City Police. The investigation is underway, with officials pursuing all available leads to trace the young shooter at the earliest.
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