Technology, proper coordination and information from a responsible transperson and a few other train passengers helped trace two girls who went missing from their house and boarded a train to Srivilliputhur on Saturday. The police rescued them within six hours.
According to the police, a 13-year-old girl and her 8-year-old cousin went out on Friday. As they did not return home, the 13-year-old’s father lodged a complaint with the Kotturpuram police. A special team headed by Sembeddu Babu, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kotturpuram, was formed trace the children.
“The 13-year-old had taken her mother’s mobile phone. When we tracked it, the location appeared as Kattankulathur. However, after sometime, the tower location showed Villupuram and we realised that they were on a train. On checking the railway schedule, we found that Podhigai Express was running at that time. We immediately informed the Government Railway Police, sent them the children’s pictures and tried to rescue them,” he said.
At the Villupuram station, a transperson and a few other passengers spotted the unsupervised children. “The transperson, who did not reveal her name, handed the children over to the Railway Police, who immediately realised that they were the same ones who had gone missing from Chennai,” Mr. Babu added.
By then, the Kotturpuram police team reached spot and took custody of the children. “We have asked the All-Women police team to investigate the issue.”
“They had boarded the train from Egmore at 8.30 p.m. We identified their location by 11 p.m. and rescued them in an another few hours,” the Assistant Commissioner said.
(Childline operates a toll free helpline 1098 for children in distress across the country.)
