Ernakulam Rural police from Keralam traverse 4,000 km to Odisha in pursuit of missing 13-year-old girl

A special investigation team (SIT) from the Ernakulam Rural police in Kerala traversed approximately 4,000 kilometres to rescue a 13-year-old migrant girl who went missing from her home in Kuruppampady. The girl, whose parents are from Odisha, was reported missing on August 13 and a missing case was filed shortly thereafter. Despite searching the neighborhood and surrounding areas, the girl could not be found.

The police then identified a man named Kesav, working in Salem, Tamil Nadu. Upon reaching Salem, they received information about the girl's connection with a youngster from Odisha, but the lead was lost when the person's phone was turned off. District Police Chief K.S. Sudarshan formed the SIT, which intensified the investigation.

The girl was eventually traced to Ganjam district in Odisha, along with a man named Alok. The SIT, comprising sub-inspector K.M. Aby and civil police officers N.P. Bindu, Arun K. Karun, and Rajith Ram, traveled to Odisha and reached the area on August 18. Navigating through the Naxal-infested forest terrain for 40 kilometres, they reached the target village at midnight with eight armed local police.

Vehicles parked a kilometre away, the team walked single file through the forest to reach Alok's house, which was eventually located and surrounded. Despite the neighborhood being awake and the team facing initial resistance, they managed to rescue the girl and take her to the Bhanjanagar police station. The SIT then returned to Kerala with the rescued girl.