Mum of missing student says 'I love you, come home'

The mother of a missing student has made a direct appeal for him to come home, saying "we're all waiting for you".

Leicestershire Police said Aryan Sharma, 20, was last seen on CCTV at about 00:30 GMT on 22 November in Meadow Lane, walking towards Stanford-on-Soar just outside Loughborough.

Aryan's parents Sukhi and Rakesh Sharma spoke as police released the CCTV of their son - a student at Loughborough University - in the hope he can be found.

Mrs Sharma said: "Aryan, this is mummy. I love you. Please come home. We're all waiting for you."

Mrs Sharma added: "It's been very difficult that he's out there on his own. Maybe he's hungry."

Mr Sharma said: "I can't explain it. We haven't slept for the last 11 nights."

Police said officers had been carrying out extensive searches to find Aryan and were continuing to search areas in the town and nearby villages.

A number of motorists reported seeing him walking on a stretch of Meadow Lane.

Police said officers had searched the Loughborough and Stanford-on-Soar areas and conducted significant inquiries to locate him, including the assistance of the National Police Air Service (NPAS).

On Wednesday, teams searched in ditches and fields for clues and officers handed out leaflets to members of the public in the town centre.

Police divers have also been searching nearby watercourses.

Mr and Mrs Sharma, who live in London, said Aryan, who dreams of working in the RAF, had a close relationship with his family and they spoke on the phone daily.

Mrs Sharma said she became worried and "felt something wasn't right" when he had not been in touch for three days and reported him missing on 24 November.

She made an emotional plea to her son to return home.

"I love you. I always have, I always will," she said.

"No matter what, please come home. We're all waiting for you. Please come home.

"Christmas is coming. His 21st birthday is coming. His sister's waiting for him, she asks every day. I just want my boy back. I want him home."

Mr Sharma added: "Please come home because everybody's very worried.

"Whatever the situation, if you're listening just make contact and give us indication you're safe."

The family appealed for information about Aryan's whereabouts.

Mrs Sharma urged: "If anyone comes across him, no matter what situation he is in, please call the police so he can come home."

Aryan has been described as Asian, 5ft 5in (165cm), of a slim build with collar-length black hair. He was wearing a black trench coat, shorts and black trainers with a white trim.

Det Insp Jonathan Dickens, from the force's missing persons team and senior investigating officer, said: "It's not unusual for Aryan to go out for a walk.

"We know he would go out for a walk late at night when he was back in London and in shorts with his quite distinctive long black trench coat.

"We're completely open to anything that could have happened to him, but we have to recognise that the last time he was seen was in a very rural location and we've not heard or seen from him since. It's very difficult.

"We're increasingly concerned as time has gone on, particularly now we're on day 12 about what has happened to him."

Det Insp Dickens re-appealed to anyone who had seen Aryan in the area of Meadow Lane, Stamford Lane and Stanford-on-Soar in the early hours of 22 November to contact police.

"Please check your dashcam footage, have a think about whether you were driving or walking in that particular location at that time and then contact police with any sightings or anything, no matter how small," he added.

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