Missing Katni woman’s last phone location traced to Narmada bridge; NDRF, Home Guard searched river

A new fact had emerged in the case of Archana Tiwari of Katni, who suddenly disappeared from a moving train. When her mobile phone’s last location was traced, it turned out to be the Narmada bridge between Bhopal and Itarsi, causing a stir. Following this lead, a search for the missing student was carried out in Narmadapuram on Sunday. Home Guard and NDRF teams searched the Narmada river at Kharraghat. The RPF also combed the bridge and the railway track passing through the forest, and CCTV footage at the railway station was checked.

Student Archana Tiwari boarded the Narmada Express at Indore railway station on 7 August to go to Katni, but did not reach home. Fearing she may have fallen into the Narmada river, her family reached Narmadapuram on Sunday. The Narmada Express passed over the Kharraghat railway bridge. On Sunday the RPF team also examined the area around the track on the Kharraghat railway bridge, then searched on foot along the track through the forest from Midghat Chowki to Narmadapuram, questioning track workers and people encountered in the forest. As the Narmada’s water level was high at the time, teams also searched by boat from Kharraghat to Dongarwada. No trace of the student was found.

Police examined call detail records (CDR) and mobile location, which showed that Archana’s last mobile location was around the bridge over the Narmada in Narmadapuram district. On this basis, the Narmadapuram district Home Guard team searched the Narmada on Sunday and began a rescue operation, but found no clue by evening. According to Home Guard platoon commander Amrita Dixit, Archana’s phone’s last location was the Narmadapuram bridge, and on this basis it was feared she might have fallen from the bridge into the Narmada. Her family members also came during the rescue and left when she was not found by evening.

Two videos had surfaced in the case. In them Archana could be seen leaving a hostel with a bag on her back. The same bag was later found by the family on the Narmada Express, containing a rakhi, sweets, clothes and a mobile charger.

The case

Photo of Archana Tiwari

Archana Tiwari, daughter of the late Sharad Narayan Tiwari and a resident of Mangalnagar, had been living in Indore for six months preparing for the civil judge exam. For Raksha Bandhan she boarded train number 18233 Indore-Narmada Express, in berth 3 of coach B-3 in AC-3 tier, to come to Katni. At about 10.15 pm her aunt spoke to her by phone, and she said she had reached Bhopal. After that Archana’s phone went off.