Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
A 14-year-old son of a businessman, who had left home to get rid of tension due to studies, got united with his parents and family members after seven days.
The minor boy left his home and decided to visit Kedarnath. However, after travelling a distance of 2,911 kms across three states he got exhausted and depressed and sat at Kalyan Railway Station. Seeing the minor with the bag, the police inquired his whereabouts. While searching the books kept in the bag, the cops came to know that he hails from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Hence they contacted the city police. The family members heaved a sigh of relief and the boy reached home safely after seven days on Thursday.
Ravi (name changed), a 14-year-old son of an entrepreneur from Chikhli, lives with his family in the Pundaliknagar area. He studies in an English-medium school. On July 30, Ravi stepped out of home for school, but his school bus had already left. Instead of returning home, he went straight to the Cidco Bus Stand.
By evening, when he couldn't be found despite searching in various places, the family filed a complaint with Pundaliknagar Police Inspector Ashok Bhandare. A kidnapping case was registered, and Police Sub-Inspectors (PSI) Reshim Kolekar and Sunil Mhaske immediately started the search.
Travelled 2,911 km across three states
Ravi first reached Pachod. He told someone there that he was going to Beed to meet his mother and took money from a person. He then went from Beed to Manjarsumba, and later reached Parli. In Parli, he was seen in CCTV footage at a hotel, but had already left by the time police arrived. From Parli, he took a train to Hyderabad, stayed there for a few days, and then continued by train to Chennai. After spending a few days in Chennai, he returned by train to Kalyan.
Wanted to go to Kedarnath, ended up in Kalyan
At the Kalyan railway station, Railway Police found Ravi crying and in an exhausted state. On checking his school bag, they found a contact number and called his father. The father, along with city police, immediately reached Kalyan and took custody of Ravi. The PI Ashok Bhandare and PSI Reshim Kolekar recorded Ravi’s statement, in which he confessed that he left home due to academic stress. He also revealed that he had planned to go to Kedarnath. During his journey, he survived by eating wherever food was available including at temples in Chennai and Hyderabad.