Fifteen-year-old national rifle shooter Damayanti Sen, who had gone missing under mysterious circumstances from West Bengal's Howrah district, has been found nearly 48 hours after her disappearance. The teenager, who had been missing since July 16, was located near Ramkrishnapur Ghat in Howrah early on Saturday.
According to her initial statement, Damayanti left home because she was experiencing severe stress while trying to balance her academic responsibilities and shooting career. She told police that she had travelled to several places before eventually returning to her hometown of Howrah. The authenticity of her statement has not yet been independently verified.
Damayanti is currently in the custody of Howrah Police as authorities complete the necessary legal formalities.
A resident of Umacharan Bhattacharya Lane in central Howrah, Damayanti had reportedly left home to buy a few items from a nearby shop but did not return. After searching for her without success, her family filed a missing person complaint with the police.
Investigators had earlier established that she was last seen on a platform at Howrah railway station. Her mobile phone was found at home, leaving police with few clues about her movements after she stepped out.
Her father, Dhruvajyoti Sen, said the young shooter had recently secured an opportunity to compete in the national team selection trials after delivering impressive performances in rifle shooting competitions. He described her as a disciplined athlete who maintained a rigorous training schedule and had not displayed any signs of emotional distress before she went missing.
"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," he said.
Her disappearance had sparked widespread concern among family members, friends, and members of the shooting community, many of whom shared her photograph on social media and appealed for information about her whereabouts.
Following the complaint, Howrah City Police registered a case and deployed multiple teams to trace the teenager, leading to her recovery on Saturday.
