Police search for leads in case of missing student

Almost two weeks after the disappearance of Engineering graduate student Anirban Majumdar, University Police still have no leads in the case, officials said yesterday.

Majumdar, a native of Calcutta, India, was last seen on Nov. 2, his 25th birthday.

"There's no logic here," Director of Special Services Pat Brennan said. "We're just doing methodically what we always do in a case like this... retracing his steps and checking the hospitals."

According to Engineering graduate student Narayanan Mahesh, one of Majumdar's four roommates, he and another roommate left Majumdar at the Moore School building, located at 200 S. 33rd St., at 8 p.m. the day he disappeared.

"He said he was going to leave for home shortly," Mahesh said, explaining that Majumdar was wanting to finish up some work. "We wanted to surprise him" with a party for his birthday.

Majumdar's current address is on the 4500 block of Locust Street.

According to Brennan, Majumdar frequently used PennTransit services to go home at night.

But he never came home that night. The following Monday, Mahesh and the other roommates became increasingly worried and called University Police.

"He had one of his presentations on Monday," Mahesh said. "He couldn't have missed it because he was working on it for some time."

Since then, the University has been following up on all possible scenarios, Brennan said.

"We started out on day one checking the hospitals," she said, noting that every other day each hospital in Philadelphia is contacted in regard to Majumdar's case. "We've given every hospital a description."

Last week, the Philadelphia Police placed Majumdar's name on the National Crime Information Center database.

The investigation is still classified as a missing-persons case.

"There's no motive for any type of foul play," Brennan said.

According to Deputy Chief of Operations Mike Fink, the case may never change classification.

"It can remain a missing-persons case indefinitely if there's no evidence to suggest foul play," Fink said. "At this point there's no evidence to suggest that."

Still, police are running out of avenues, Brennan said.

"Everybody basically says the same thing," Brennan said. "He's a quiet, caring, considerate person who would not go out on his own without telling anyone."

The University has remained in contact with Majumdar's family in India through the office of Vice Provost for University Life Valarie Swain-Cade McCoullum.

According to Brennan, Majumdar's friends in California and Michigan have also been contacted.

Another friend, who reportedly lives in New Jersey, has yet to be contacted, Brennan said.

When Majumdar was last seen, he was wearing dark trousers and a blue jacket. He is approximately 5 feet 6 inches, 130 pounds and has black hair and black eyes. He also wears glasses.

Checks of his financial records -- he maintains only one account with PNC Bank that police know of -- have revealed no transactions since Majumdar's disappearance.

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