Chennai, Oct 21:
Police have traced an eight-year-old girl who went missing from Karumangazhani village near Sriperumbudur to a children’s home in Kellys, bringing relief to her family after a three-day search.
The girl, Besty, is the daughter of Viswanath and Kalpana, natives of Jharkhand. She had been living with her mother and maternal grandparents in Karumangazhani. A few days before her disappearance, her mother had left for Jharkhand, leaving the child in the care of her grandparents. Police said Besty left the house on Friday, apparently intending to travel to Jharkhand to meet her mother. When she failed to return, her relatives searched the surrounding areas and approached the police.
Sriperumbudur police registered a case and formed five special teams to trace the child. Investigators used CCTV footage, drones and a sniffer dog during the search. Residents reportedly told police that they had seen the girl carrying a bag at the Araneri bus stop. CCTV footage indicated that she had boarded a bus to Poonamallee. Meanwhile, Railway Protection Force personnel found a child standing unattended at Chennai Central railway station and, unable to locate her parents, arranged for her to be taken to a children’s home in Kellys. On Tuesday, police teams investigating Besty’s disappearance received information about the child and confirmed her identity after making enquiries. Police said she had travelled on two buses before reaching the railway station. The investigation is continuing to establish the circumstances of her journey and ensure her safe reunion with her family.