In an extraordinary display of investigative prowess, the Telangana Police successfully reunited a Hyderabad boy, who had been missing for a decade, with his family. The boy, missing since August 18, 2014, was located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, by a dedicated team from the Women Safety Wing of Telangana Police. The emotional reunion has brought closure to the family after years of distress.
Case Overview
The boy, aged 12 at the time of his disappearance, left home carrying only his Aadhaar card. Despite the local police’s initial efforts, no progress was made, leading to the case being handed over to the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) under the Telangana CID.
Over the years, the Women Safety Wing’s technical team, led by Director General Shikha Goel, utilized advanced open-source tools and police investigation resources to trace the boy’s digital footprints.
The Breakthrough
Investigators discovered that the boy’s Aadhaar card details had been updated, linking it to a new mobile number. This digital clue was pivotal in tracing the number to a retired government employee in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.
Further inquiries revealed the boy had travelled by train to Kanpur shortly after leaving home. Upon arrival at Kanpur railway station, he was taken into custody by the Railway Police and placed in a Child Care Institution, where he remained until 2022.
Later, the boy was adopted, and his identity was changed. Despite these challenges, the Telangana Police team successfully located and identified him. The boy, now an adult, was brought back to Hyderabad and reunited with his family, marking the end of a 10-year-long ordeal.
Similar Success Stories
This case is one of several long-pending missing cases resolved by the Telangana Police:
- 2015 Missing Case: An 11-year-old girl, missing since October 30, 2015, was found after nine years in Nizamabad, Telangana.
- 2017 Missing Siblings: A 10-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother, missing since July 5, 2017, were located in Bengaluru and reunited with their family.
Between January and November 2024, Telangana recorded 22,780 missing cases, with an impressive 84.25% success rate in tracing individuals, significantly above the national average of 51.1%.
Director General Shikha Goel commended the relentless dedication of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit, SHE Cyber Lab, and other officers of the Women Safety Wing. Their expertise and commitment have brought closure to numerous families and set a benchmark for investigative excellence.