DISPUR, 12 Jun: The family of Dr Debanjib Kumar Sharmah, a dentist from Assam who went missing under mysterious circumstances near Parshuram Kund in Lohit district, has issued an urgent appeal to the Arunachal Pradesh government, seeking immediate intervention.
It has now been over 10 days since his disappearance on 31 May, with no breakthrough in the investigation.
Dr Sharmah was last seen at Tulow Resort in Wakro, where he had checked in alone. A missing person report (MPR No 03/25) was filed that same day by the resort owner at the Wakro police station. Despite this, there has been no concrete lead, and the family has raised strong objections to the unverified theory of accidental drowning being pursued by investigators.
In a letter addressed to the chief minister, deputy chief minister, and other senior officials of Arunachal, Dr Sharmah’s mother, Pranati Sharmah, called for an expanded and evidence-based investigation into all possible scenarios, including foul play, coercion, or abduction. “There is no CCTV footage, no eyewitness account, no mobile signal trace, and no recovered body. The drowning theory is speculative and premature,” she stated.
Pranati Sharmah, who is over 80 years old, said that her son “is not just a case file or missing person statistic. He is my only son, the world to his wife, and a loving father to a school-going daughter who still believes her father will return soon.”
The family has made the following specific requests: a multi-angle, high-priority investigation beyond the drowning theory; forensic and cybercrime analysis of phone and digital data; re-examination of the statements of the resort’s staff; coordination between agencies across districts and states; and deployment of a special task force if required.
They have also urged the authorities not to draw any conclusions without definitive proof, and to keep the family informed about the investigation progress.
On the morning of 31 May, Dr Sharmah had asked for tea and breakfast to be served at Tulow Resort – his last known interaction according to the staff’s statement to the police.
“Shockingly, his mobile phone, wallet, motorbike, and professional camera were all recovered from his hotel room. The resort claimed that its CCTV cameras were not working, and the guest register was not shown to family members when they enquired about Dr Sharmah’s entry or any other guests, adding to the growing suspicion,” the family stated.
“His unexplained disappearance from within the premises, despite all belongings being intact, has raised serious questions. The family continues to plead for urgent and decisive efforts to uncover the truth and bring Debanjib home,” they said.
