Six hours after they mysteriously disappeared while playing in a municipal garden in Kashimira, three minor girls were traced and rescued by the police from a train headed to Goa on Wednesday.
The girls had gone to play in the garden and were to return by 7pm. When they failed to return till late in the evening, their parents launched a futile search, following which a complaint was registered at the Kashimira police station. The police later found out that the girls ran away for fear of being reprimanded for staying out late.
An offence under section 363 for kidnap (since the girls are minors aged 11, 13 and 14) was registered against unidentified people. Fearing abduction or even human trafficking, a team led by Senior Police Inspector Sandip Kadam, under the supervision of Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayant Bajbale, went into an overdrive to track the girls.
How Mumbai Police rescued the girls
The police circulated their photographs to all police stations and also posted them on social media platforms, including WhatsApp. However, the only clue the police had was a mobile number belonging to the father of one of the girls which she had apparently carried along.
Investigations revealed that the girls had reached Thane railway station via Dadar and Kalyan. The police were not sure about the mobile number, which was switched off, but they continued keeping a watch.
“Finally, the number turned active. We started tracking it and found that it was moving towards Ratnagiri from Panvel. We started matching the movement with the timetables of trains on the route and zeroed in on the Mandovi Express.” said Kadam.
Girls fled fearing parents' ire
The police team contacted their Khed counterparts and provided photographs of the girls. The Khed police found the girls and safely handed them over to the Kashimira police.
“We have contacted the child welfare committee and after completing the formalities the custody of the girls will be given to their parents,” said an official.
