LONDON, Dec 30: The remains of a 22-year-old Indian student, Santra Saju, who had been missing since earlier this month, have been located in a river in Scotland. Her family has been notified, though formal identification is still pending.
Originally from Kerala, Saju was studying at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. Police Scotland reported that a body was discovered in the water near Newbridge, a village close to Edinburgh, on December 27, 2024, at approximately 11:55 am.
While formal identification remains to be completed, authorities confirmed that Saju’s family has been informed and that her death is not being treated as suspicious. They also noted that a report will be forwarded to the Procurator Fiscal, Scotland’s prosecution service responsible for death investigations.
Saju was last seen on CCTV footage at an Asda supermarket in Almondvale, Livingston, on the evening of December 6. Following her disappearance, police issued an urgent appeal for information, describing her as approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, of Indian descent, with a slim build and short black hair.
On the night she went missing, she was believed to be wearing a black jacket with a fur-lined hood, beige earmuffs, and a black face mask, and was carried a distinctive black rucksack. The police encouraged anyone with information to come forward.
Inspector Alison Lawrie from Corstorphine Police Station stated, “We now know that Santra picked up a black and white shopper style bag from an address in Burnvale on Friday evening, but she did not have it when she entered the supermarket. The bag is distinctive and someone may remember seeing her with it. We are still reviewing CCTV footage and have released images of Santra from the supermarket in the hopes that someone may recognize her. Extensive inquiries are ongoing to locate her.”
Friends and family expressed concern for Saju’s safety, noting that her disappearance was uncharacteristic of her. (PTI)
