Birmingham, UK — In a dramatic development late Tuesday night, police have confirmed that Aryan Sharma, 20, who has been missing since November 21, was unexpectedly captured on CCTV less than 1 kilometre from his family home — and investigators say the footage shows him in a “deeply disturbing and unexplained state.”
Authorities described the clip as “critical new evidence” in the search for the young man, whose disappearance has triggered widespread community concern and a multi-agency investigation.
“You can see immediately something is wrong,” police say
The footage, taken from a residential security camera at 3:42 a.m., shows Aryan walking unsteadily along a dimly lit pavement.
Detectives confirmed he appears barefoot, disoriented, and wearing clothing that looks torn and partially soaked.
“This is not how he left home,” a senior officer said.
“He appears weak, frightened, and in a state that raises serious questions about what happened after he vanished.”
Police have not released the full clip to the public but shared it with the family early this morning.
Parents collapse after viewing the footage
According to a family spokesperson, Aryan’s mother and father were “overcome with grief and shock” when detectives showed them the video.
A relative said the moment was devastating:
“His mother screamed and collapsed. His father couldn’t speak.
We all knew the situation was serious, but nothing prepared us for the way he looked in that video.”
The family is now being supported by trauma specialists and crisis counsellors.
Last known movements: A puzzling 24-hour window
Aryan was last seen leaving his home on November 21, telling his family he was stepping out briefly.
His phone was found the next day near a bus stop — with the SIM removed.
Police have reconstructed most of his movements through:
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nearby shop CCTV,
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bus route mapping,
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and digital footprints recovered from his online accounts.
But a 24-hour gap remains unaccounted for — and investigators believe the new footage may fill in some of the mystery.
CCTV shows Aryan looking over his shoulder repeatedly
According to metadata examined by detectives, Aryan appears agitated and looks behind him several times, as if someone may have been following him.
A police source described the video as “extremely concerning,” noting:
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Aryan’s hands appear scratched,
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he stumbles repeatedly,
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and at one point he presses himself against a wall as if trying to hide.
Investigators are now working to enhance the footage frame-by-frame.
Major search operation reactivated
Following the CCTV discovery, police have relaunched ground searches in a two-square-kilometre radius around the neighborhood where the footage was captured.
Drones, thermal imaging units, and search dogs have been deployed.
“This is now a race against time,” police said.
Public urged to check doorbell cameras and outbuildings
Authorities are asking local residents to review recordings from the night of November 21–22, particularly between 2:30 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.
They also urge people to check:
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sheds,
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garages,
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empty properties,
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alleyways,
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and any place where someone might seek shelter.
Investigation now exploring multiple scenarios
Detectives say they are keeping an open mind, including possibilities of:
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Aryan wandering in distress,
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foul play,
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coercion by an unknown individual,
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or involvement in an incident he could not communicate.
“We are not ruling anything out,” the lead investigator said.
