Tragic End To Search For Missing Student: Body Found In River Soar After CCTV Shows Him Running Alone At Midnight

What began as a late-night run has ended in devastating loss. A major police search for missing Loughborough student Aryan Sharma has concluded after a body was recovered from the River Soar, just hours after CCTV footage showed him running alone through the university town at midnight.

The discovery has shattered a close-knit community, bringing sorrow to students, residents and family members who had clung to hope throughout days of intense searching.

Leicestershire Police confirmed the recovery on Tuesday, describing it as a key development in the investigation into Aryan's disappearance. Formal identification is still underway, but the news has already cast a heavy shadow over the town.

The Final Moments: A Midnight Run

The last time CCTV cameras captured the student was the student running in Loughborough town centre around 12.30 am. The video, which the police released during the search, showed him moving fast and alone towards a place near the River Soar. The footage triggered an immediate alarm, and a large number of calls were made to find out what was going on after he was out of camera view.

The CCTV footage was also a significant aspect of the investigation, as it enabled the officers to narrow the time frame and focus their search along the river and adjacent footpaths. Police found the student's personal items near the water, prompting a further search in that area.

Major Search Operation Mobilised

Over the next few days, following the disappearance, the emergency services organised a comprehensive search operation involving several expert teams. Divers were searching the river, and drones and helicopters were inspecting the area around the river. Search dogs in the field were used on the footpath, in fields, and in woodland, and the officers conducted door-to-door enquiries and inspected CCTV footage from local businesses and residential streets.

The River Soar, which flows through the town of Loughborough, became the centre of the search. With all the currents and vegetation covering its speed, conditions were not very favourable to divers and rescue workers who systematically covered the entire area of water.

Student Community Shocked

The student's death sent shock waves through Loughborough, especially the university community. The students and residents voiced their concerns on social media, and many even shared the police request and offered support to the family. Missing person posters were posted in local businesses' windows, and several community groups organised informal search parties to support the official search.

The discovery of the body has been received with sadness and sympathy. Condolence messages have been received throughout the region, with numerous messages expressing grief for the student's family and appreciation for the emergency services that toiled tirelessly during the search.

Police Investigation Continues

The body is discovered, and yet, the investigation is continued. The officers are in the process of recreating the student's last movements and are appealing to anyone who was in the vicinity at the early hours to come forward. There are other CCTVs that police detectives are looking at, witnesses are being interviewed, and evidence retrieved at the scene is being examined.

A Community United in Grief

Leicestershire Police have asked the public to respect the family's privacy during what they described as an 'incredibly difficult time'.

For Loughborough, the case has left a deep scar. What remains is a powerful reminder of how quickly an ordinary moment can turn into tragedy, and how a community can come together in grief, compassion and shared loss.