New Delhi: The Delhi Police have solved a long-pending missing-person case after the minor was found in Bihar after eight years of sustained efforts, officials said on Sunday.
The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) of Delhi Police’s Central District successfully traced and recovered the minor girl from Bihar, bringing an end to a long-pending case registered at Anand Parbat police station.
The case dates back to October 14, 2018, when an FIR was registered at PS Anand Parbat in connection with the alleged missing and kidnapping of a minor girl, who was then 14 years old and a resident of the national capital’s Anand Parbat area.
Following the registration of the case, sustained efforts were made by the police to trace the missing girl and ascertain her whereabouts. During the course of the investigation and search operations, the AHTU team examined footage from multiple CCTV cameras and conducted extensive searches at around 90 shelter homes for girls, 52 orphanages, religious places, and red-light areas across Delhi-NCR.
Despite the extensive searches and multiple efforts undertaken over the years, the whereabouts of the missing girl could not initially be established. The AHTU team, however, continued to pursue available leads and kept working on the long-pending case.
A few months ago, the team received a crucial secret input indicating that the missing girl might be present in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur. Acting promptly on the information, a dedicated team was constituted to trace and recover her.
The team comprised Sub-Inspector Raj Bahadur Singh, Head Constable Surender and Woman Constable Manisha. The team worked under the supervision of Inspector Anil Yadav, In-charge of AHTU, with overall supervision by the ACP, DIU.
Following the development of the lead, the police team immediately travelled to Kanpur and conducted searches at the location indicated by the source. However, upon reaching the spot, the team learnt that the missing girl had been moved from the location shortly before their arrival.
The police team did not abandon the search and continued checking the surrounding areas while developing additional local sources in an effort to trace her whereabouts. Despite these efforts, no immediate clue could be established at that stage.
The team continued to follow the lead and subsequently received information suggesting that the missing girl might be residing in Bihar’s Samastipur district. Acting on the newly developed information, the AHTU team proceeded to Samastipur on September 15.
Through sustained technical surveillance, field verification and persistent ground-level efforts, the team was able to narrow down the location of the missing girl to Shahpur Patori.
The police team subsequently conducted a search operation in the area and successfully located and recovered the missing girl from Patori with the assistance of the local police.
Following her recovery, the girl was brought back to Delhi on September 17 and produced for medical examination. She was subsequently counselled, and her statement was recorded under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).
After completion of the requisite legal and procedural formalities, the recovered girl was handed over to her parents, facilitating her reunion with her family after eight years.