Aryan Sharma hasn’t been seen for six days
17:57, 28 Nov 2025Updated 17:59, 28 Nov 2025
The family of a missing student say they are desperate to find him as a major search operation continues(Image: Dylan Hayward/LeicestershireLive)
Specialist underwater search teams have been deployed to a stretch of the River Soar as a major operation continues for a missing student who vanished almost a week ago.
Police helicopters, divers with flashlights, officers in canoes, and specialist search teams have descended on the normally sleepy village of Stanford-on-Soar.
Aryan Sharma, a 20-year-old Loughborough University robotics student, was last seen on CCTV in Meadow Lane at 12.30am on Saturday (November 22), walking towards the Stanford on Soar area.
He has not been in contact with his family since Friday (November 21), prompting concern for his welfare as temperatures have plummeted and weather conditions have deteriorated.
The scale of the search operation has shocked residents in the quiet village, which is known for its scenic walks along the River Soar and peaceful countryside.
A path has been sealed off by police, with a police van stationed on a meadow near the river. Specialist divers have been seen searching the water with flashlights despite awful weather conditions.
Police confirmed today (Friday, November 28) that specialist divers have been searching a stretch of the River Soar between Meadow Lane and Cotes as part of the intensive operation. The deployment of underwater teams marks a significant escalation in the search efforts, which have now entered their sixth day with no sign of the missing student.
It comes as a flood alert has been issued this evening, warning that high river levels overnight may lead to flooding in the area where search teams have been.
A dog walker in the area said: “It’s usually just dog walkers around here, nothing like this. They’ve been here for a few days now.”
The normally tranquil village, popular with walkers and anglers, has been transformed by the significant police presence, with officers combing the area and speaking to locals.
A fisherman on the river told LeicestershireLive: “I was here a few days ago and there was nobody around. Today I’ve seen divers, people on canoes.
“I had no idea what they were doing, it’s a shock really.”
Specialist underwater search teams have been deployed to scour a stretch of the River Soar (Image: Dylan Hayward/LeicestershireLive)
A local resident who lives just yards from the centre of police search efforts said she had been visited by officers asking for CCTV footage and had witnessed a hive of activity in recent days.
She said: “It’s terrible, really, that such a young man has gone missing. In the past, we’ve had police searching the river.”
Officers are actively searching in both Loughborough and Stanford-on-Soar to locate Aryan. Uniformed officers, detectives, the force drone, the National Police Air Service helicopter, Leicestershire Police-trained search officers and Leicestershire Search and Rescue teams are working around the clock as part of the search.
Detective Inspector Jonathan Dickens, who is leading the investigation, said: “We are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen Aryan since last Friday evening.
“I would encourage members of the public to check their personal and work CCTV systems, vehicle dashcams particularly for any sightings around Meadow Lane in Loughborough, Stanford on Soar, Cotes, Barrow Upon Soar and Prestwold between 12.15am on Saturday 22 November onwards.
“Any information, no matter how insignificant, could really help to find Aryan.”
Have you seen Aryan?(Image: Leicestershire Police)
Aryan was last seen leaving his property in Loughborough at 9.20pm last Friday before being captured on CCTV walking around the town into the early hours of Saturday morning.
His movements have been traced through the town centre before he was spotted heading towards the more rural Stanford-on-Soar area in the early hours, but his whereabouts since then remain a mystery.
He is described as Asian, 5ft 5ins tall, of a slim build, with collar-length black hair, and was wearing a distinctive black calf-length leather-style trench coat, shorts, and black trainers with a white trim.
His family have described him as “a pleasant, gentle individual” who “wouldn’t hurt a soul” and say his disappearance is completely out of character.
As the search continues into its sixth day, Aryan’s family have made an emotional appeal for anyone with information to come forward, no matter how insignificant it may seem.
Police have deployed drones, helicopters and specialist search teams in the hunt for Aryan Sharma(Image: LeicestershireLive)
Anyone who may have seen Aryan or know where he may be should contact police on 101, quoting incident 208 of November 23.
