Delhi: Bodies recovered from Yamuna highlight gaps in surveillance

The Yamuna stretch between the Wazirabad and Okhla barrages has become a major concern for the Delhi police, with bodies regularly recovered from the river and its banks. Many are badly decomposed by the time they are found, making it difficult to identify them or establish where they entered the river.

According to the Zonal Integrated Police Network (ZIPNET), 10 unidentified bodies were found within the jurisdiction of Wazirabad Police Station up to July 20, 2026. Two were recovered from the river.

During the same period, Timarpur Police Station reported finding around 11 unidentified bodies. One was found near the Yamuna, while most of the others were discovered under the Wazirabad flyover and along Majnu Ka Tilla.

A police officer said the absence of cameras made it difficult to monitor these areas. “The absence of cameras means we must work around the clock and stay close to prevent untoward incidents,” the officer said.

Police officers are sometimes able to save people from drowning or prevent suicide attempts, he added. “But it is not always successful.”

Four children missing in the Yamuna
Four minors were swept away by a strong current while bathing in the Yamuna near Hiranki village in Delhi’s Alipur area on July 12. A group of five children had gone to the riverbank to play that evening, and four entered the swollen river without realising its depth.

Search operations involving the National Disaster Response Force, Delhi Disaster Management Authority, Delhi Fire Service and local police continued for a second day on July 13. None of the children could be traced. Rescue teams struggled with heavy silt, debris and the strong current.

The families of the missing children accused the authorities of delaying the search. The father of Anshu, one of the missing 14-year-old boys, claimed that he saw little activity at the site on the morning of July 13. He said two people searched the area briefly before leaving.

Bodies found at several locations

Bodies have also been found at other locations along the river. Around 77 have been recovered within the jurisdiction of Kashmere Gate Police Station, including some from the Yamuna.

According to ZIPNET data, six bodies were recovered near Yudhishthir Setu. Another badly decomposed and bloated body was found in the river near Nigambodh Ghat.

Bhalswa Dairy Police Station, in the Outer North district, recorded around four unidentified bodies within its jurisdiction. Two were recovered from the water at different locations.

“One of them was found to be around 35 years of age, with much of the body decomposed, although the face remained slightly recognisable,” a police official said. “It was mostly bloated by the river water.”

In a separate case, a woman with several bruises on her face and body was found dead near a sewer line at Bairagi Mohalla on June 6. A police officer said the circumstances pointed to murder.

“There were a lot of bruises on her face, which corresponded to a premeditated incident and pointed towards murder,” a senior inspector said.

The police questioned people in the locality, but no one could identify the woman. “As of now, nobody has come forward to claim the body either,” the inspector added.

The figures from police stations along the river and adjoining waterways provide only a limited picture of the problem. Police officers said the lack of CCTV cameras made both monitoring and investigation more difficult.

Blind spots near bridges

The DND Flyway is among the areas where the lack of CCTV coverage has caused concern. Several sections of the flyway remain outside camera surveillance.

Ankit Sharma, alias Ashu, a resident of Chitra Vihar in east Delhi, died by suicide after jumping from the flyway into the Yamuna.

Some people, however, have been rescued after jumping into the river. On April 8, 2025, Vicky, a 30-year-old resident of Dhaka Gaon, was rescued after jumping from the Signature Bridge.

A senior officer said the police arranged a boat and sought the help of private divers. Vicky was pulled from the river in a semi-conscious state and given medical attention. His father was informed, and Vicky was reunited with his family after treatment.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North) Raja Banthia said a body might be carried far from the place where a person entered the river.

“Normally, if someone falls into the river, the body resurfaces after four or five days,” Banthia said. “By then, it becomes too late to retrieve it within our jurisdiction, as the currents easily move the body from one end to another.”

Another senior official said neighbouring districts were alerted when a missing-person report was linked to a bridge or river.

“We usually alert corresponding districts, especially in Haryana, since there is a filtering net between Delhi and Haryana,” the official said. “Sometimes, if the current is fast, the body or any debris is carried as far as Palwal district.”

Barriers sought for Signature Bridge

Several deaths by suicide have been reported from bridges over the river.

On September 24, 2024, the body of Ansh Chaudhary, a Class 12 student, was recovered near the Okhla Barrage. It was found several kilometres from the Signature Bridge, from which he had jumped three days earlier.

Delhi Police, assisted by divers, searched for Ansh for three days. The student, a resident of Indrapuri in Loni, had left home on September 21 after telling his family that he was going to a coaching centre. The centre was later found to be closed.

That evening, his family found his motorcycle, mobile phone and bag on the Signature Bridge and learnt that he had jumped into the river.

In another case, 19-year-old Rajat, a student from Karawal Nagar, died by suicide after jumping from the Signature Bridge on August 14, 2023. Rajat, who worked in Karol Bagh and lived with his parents and two sisters, had stopped at the bridge while returning home.

Police and divers searched for him, but high water levels following heavy rain hampered their efforts. His body was later recovered.

No suicide note was found, and the police ruled out foul play. Only his bag was recovered from the bridge.

Delhi Police had reportedly asked the Tourism Department to install mesh barriers on the Signature Bridge to prevent suicides. The request remains pending, and the CCTV cameras on the bridge are still not functioning.

Bodies carried across state borders

Strong currents, particularly during the monsoon or when water is released from dams and barrages, can carry bodies across districts and state borders.

“Sometimes, these bodies can travel pretty far,” a senior official said. “These are recovered along some stretches of the river across multiple districts. However, it gets difficult for the police there to discern as well.”

The official said police faced a similar problem along the Munak Canal. “We retrieve bodies which have travelled from Haryana across the state border into Delhi,” the official added.

Police said most of the bodies found in the river came from nearby districts, although some were from Delhi.

“Bodies of murder victims or those who died in accidents often flow towards the capital because of the water’s direction,” a senior officer said. “It’s difficult to determine where they originated, but we usually correlate the flow with our list of unsolved cases and missing persons.”

Identifying the dead

Identifying a badly decomposed body is often difficult. Police officers first compare the person’s clothes with descriptions provided in missing-person reports.

“We try to identify them through the clothing described in missing-person reports,” a senior police officer said. “If no clothes remain on the body, the forensic team helps by mapping biological traits, such as fingerprints or bones, to narrow down the age of the deceased.”

Photographs and details of identifying marks are then circulated among police stations in Delhi and neighbouring states.

“We send photos and information to nearby police stations, including those in Haryana, and issue circulars regarding unidentified bodies,” the officer said.