CCTV Captures Entry—But No Exit: Zoo Visit Turns into Mystery

In a disturbing turn of events, a 22-year-old youth from Meghalaya has gone missing under mysterious circumstances after entering the Assam State Zoo-cum- in Guwahati on Thursday afternoon. Despite overnight search operations by forest officials and security personnel, the young man remains untraceable.

According to official sources, the youth, identified as Built More Bohthmit, entered the zoo at 2:56 PM on Thursday. CCTV footage captured him wearing a white T-shirt, denim half-pants, a cap, and a face mask at the time of entry. However, there is no footage of him exiting the premises.

The disappearance came to light after a bag and a pair of shoes were recovered near the giraffe enclosure inside the zoo. Upon inspection, the bag was found to contain documents that revealed the man's identity and background. He is a resident of Hatidonga under Rongara area of Meghalaya's South Garo Hills District and a student at SPM, an educational institution in Guwahati, where he had reportedly enrolled just a month ago.

Confirming the incident, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) said:

“We recovered a bag and a pair of shoes belonging to the youth. He is a student of SPM. Some handwritten notes were also found inside the bag. The CCTV footage shows him entering the zoo, but there is no footage of him leaving. The bag was found near the giraffe enclosure.”

The youth's family, alarmed by his sudden disappearance, has lodged a formal FIR with local authorities.

Zoo officials, forest department personnel, and the police conducted a night-long search operation, but there has been no trace of the missing youth as of Friday morning. Search efforts are continuing with intensified focus on all enclosures and water bodies within the zoo complex.

The incident has raised serious concerns about visitor safety and surveillance gaps within the zoo, which is one of the most visited public spaces in the city.

The concerned forest authorities have assured that all possible angles are being investigated, and further updates will be shared as the search progresses.

Also Read: Man Mysteriously Vanishes Inside Guwahati Zoo; Only Shoes and Bag Found