Body of Missing Indian Medical Student Found in Russian Dam After 19-Day Search

The body of a 22-year-old Indian medical student who disappeared nearly three weeks ago in Russia has been recovered from a dam in the city of Ufa, officials and family members confirmed on Thursday.

The student, Ajit Singh Chaudhary, hailed from Alwar in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan and had been pursuing his MBBS at Bashkir State Medical University since 2023. He was last seen on October 19, when he left his hostel around 11 a.m. to buy milk, telling friends he would return within 30 minutes. He never came back.

Russian authorities launched a search operation soon after his disappearance. Within days, Ajit’s belongings — including his clothes, phone and shoes — were discovered near the White River, a development that heightened concerns among family members and fellow students. After an intensive 19-day search, his body was found in a dam connected to the same river.

The Indian Embassy in Moscow informed Ajit’s family and local representatives in Alwar about the recovery. Fellow students in Ufa helped identify the body. Officials said a post-mortem will be conducted by a medical board before the remains are repatriated to India, a process expected to take two to three days and coordinated between Indian and Russian authorities.

The news has devastated Ajit’s family, who had sold nearly three bighas of land to send him abroad for medical education. “We sent him with so many dreams. Now we are only waiting for his body to return,” a relative said.

Back in Alwar, the case has triggered anger and protests. Students and community members gathered at the Alwar Jat hostel, accusing authorities of responding inadequately to the disappearance. They demanded an expedited return of Ajit’s body and a transparent investigation into the circumstances of his death.

Local political leaders have also weighed in. Former Union Minister and Congress leader Jitendra Singh Alwar expressed grief and called the death “suspicious.” In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he urged India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, to press for a full inquiry and ensure the family is not subjected to further delays.

Ajit’s parents, Roop Singh and Santra Devi, remain in deep shock as they await the repatriation of their son’s remains. The family has called for a comprehensive probe into how a young student, thousands of kilometres from home, ended up dead under unexplained circumstances in a foreign country.