COLLEGE PARK, MD — University of Maryland police are asking for the public’s help in locating missing student Dilan Shaan Ashar, a 22-year-old whose case has been classified as a critical missing person. His mother, Binita Ashar, made an emotional appeal on the university police department’s YouTube page, saying the family wants anyone with information to contact investigators right away.
Police said Ashar was last seen in College Park in the early morning hours of Oct. 2. The university has released photos of him and continued searching around the area near campus as his family pleads for answers.
Family says Ashar was last seen near Terrapin Trail Garage
According to Binita Ashar, her son was last seen at about 2:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 2, near the Terrapin Trail Garage by the Xfinity Center in College Park, Maryland. She said he had been at his residence earlier that morning and was captured on surveillance footage leaving around 2 a.m.
Police said he was wearing a black University of Maryland sweatshirt, gray sweatpants and white shoes when he disappeared. Ashar is described as 6 feet 2 inches tall with dark hair.
The family has said he did not have his phone, wallet or identification with him, adding urgency to the search and making it harder for him to reach out if he is safe and able to do so.
Mother makes emotional plea for doorbell and security video
In her recorded message, Binita Ashar described her son as kind and thoughtful, saying he cares deeply about people. She also said he loves sports and enjoys cooking. The message was recorded with the support of his father and brother.
She asked residents and business owners who live or work near College Park to review doorbell, car and business camera footage from early Friday morning and beyond. Investigators have said that even a small detail could help build a clearer timeline of where Ashar went after he was last seen.
The family’s plea focuses on the hours immediately after he disappeared, when footage from homes, parking lots and nearby businesses could still be available.
Police say searches across 110 acres have found nothing
UMD police said multiple searches covering about 110 acres have already been conducted around the Terrapin Trail Garage. Those efforts included drones, cadaver dogs and dozens of first responders, according to police statements.
The search area also included the university golf course, parking garages, wooded areas, Lake Artemesia and nearby parks. Police said all searches so far have produced no results, and investigators plan to keep re-checking those locations and expanding outward.
Officials have not said whether they have found any personal items tied to Ashar or any sign of what may have happened after he was last seen.
University community asked to stay alert and share tips
Police released two photos of Ashar, including one taken from surveillance video as he left his residence about 2 a.m. on Oct. 2. Investigators are urging anyone with information about his whereabouts to call UMD police at 301-405-3555.
The department said in a statement Tuesday that it needs the community’s help to continue the search. Police stressed that every piece of information could matter, especially for people who may have seen Ashar walking, driving or entering a nearby building in the early hours of the morning.
For now, the case remains active, and police have not announced any confirmed sightings after the early-morning report from Oct. 2.
What police have confirmed so far about the case
Police have publicly confirmed a few key details: Ashar is 22, was last seen in College Park around 2:30 a.m. on Oct. 2, and was wearing a UMD sweatshirt, sweatpants and white shoes. They have also said he left his residence around 2 a.m. before disappearing from view.
UMD police did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for an update on Wednesday, leaving the search status unchanged from the latest public statement. The university community is being asked to remain attentive as officers keep checking leads and reworking search areas.
Binita Ashar closed her message by telling her son that his family loves him and wants him home, a plea that now echoes through the campus search effort.
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