New Delhi: An Indian-origin student who mysteriously vanished from the University of Maryland campus on 2 October has been found and reunited with his family after an extensive five-day search.
Dilan Shaan Ashar, 22, a psychology major at the university, was last seen near a campus parking garage around 2:30 am on Friday. Police had classified him as a “critically missing” person and had launched an extensive search using drones and ground teams.
“Elated to report that we have been reunited with Dilan! Heartfelt gratitude for all of your texts, posts, calls, prayers, well wishes and overwhelming support. Feeling very fortunate and thankful,” his mother Binita Ashar, a surgeon, posted on Facebook on 7 October.
Ashar was last in touch with his family around 6 pm on 1 October, according to a university release. When his parents arrived at his residence the next morning, he was nowhere to be found. They contacted police, who launched a search for him. Surveillance footage showed him leaving his residence around 2 am the next day. Half an hour later, he was captured on camera at the Terrapin Trail Garage on campus.
He did not have his phone, wallet or identification with him, leading to mounting worries over his safety.
The search finally ended on Wednesday, 7 October, when campus police announced that Ashar had been found safe.
“Missing student has been found! Thanks to the immense efforts of UMPD and our entire community, Dilan has been reunited with his family,” police said in an update on Facebook. “We thank all Terps and community members who spread the word and supported this search.” Terps refers to a nickname derived from the university’s mascot, the terrapin.
However, campus police have not yet disclosed where Ashar was found or provided details about the circumstances of his disappearance.
Also read: Only 44% of young Americans say they’re thriving, study finds
A search spanning 110 acres
Police combed through nearly 110 acres around the Terrapin Trail Garage in a “methodical” operation to find Ashar. Drones scanned nearby wooded areas and the university’s golf course, while officers patrolled parking garages, Lake Artemesia and surrounding parks. Nearly 50 first responders and nine search dogs were part of the search.
As the search intensified, the University of Maryland Police Department released new surveillance images and also shared a video appeal from Ashar’s parents. His mother also appealed for his safe return on Facebook.
“Dilan, if you see this, we love you so much. You are not in trouble, and you don’t need to explain anything. We just want you home. Call or text us anytime, day or night,” she wrote.
Police posted regular updates, including images showing Ashar’s last known clothing: a black University of Maryland hoodie, grey sweatpants and white shoes.
But even as his safe return brought relief, some residents and parents called for more details about what had happened.
“Found by who? How? Where? For all we know, he ran away from home last week…. but as a parent of a UMD student, I was initially afraid there was a potential kidnapper in the area and was worried for my child’s safety,” read one comment on the campus police’s Facebook announcement.