Missing scientist traced to Puducherry

Babita Singh, a scientific officer with Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), who went missing from her residence in Nerul on January 23, has been traced to Puducherry. Singh contacted her family in Uttar Pradesh after she came across news reports of her disappearance in Puducherry.

According to the police, Singh was supposed to return to Nerul on Friday evening, but could not as she had missed her flight. Singh is now expected to return to the city on Saturday morning.

Singh had sent an email to her relatives before she went missing. In the email, Singh had reportedly cited issues she was facing at work. She did not carry her mobile phone and other belongings with her. "On January 26, she called my mother, who stays in Uttar Pradesh, and told her that she was safe in Puducherry," said Bharat Pratap Singh, her elder brother.

Singh's brother had come to Mumbai from Uttar Pradesh after he was informed about the email.

"I came to Mumbai on January 23 night and approached Nerul police station," he said. He was accompanied by Deepak Singh, one of Babita's close friends, who had gone to Puducherry to bring her back to Mumbai.