Bokaro: What began as a routine walk to tuition classes turned into a tense, six-day multi-state manhunt. In a major breakthrough, Bokaro police successfully traced and rescued a 13-year-old boy from Puri in Odisha on Friday. Initial fears of a potential abduction gave way to a classic case of wanderlust, involving a solo railway journey across three states.
The Disappearance
Bokaro Superintendent of Police, Nathu Singh Meena, reported that on the morning of June 6, Pratik Kumar left his residence in the Balidih industrial area for tuition classes but failed to return home. After the family's unsuccessful attempts to locate him, the boy's grandfather, Gopal Bhagat, approached the police. Recognizing the vulnerability of the minor, Bokaro police deployed four specialized teams to crack the case.
The Investigation
The breakthrough came when teams led by Balidih police station officer in-charge Navin Kumar, along with sub-inspectors Chandradev Kumar, Nityanand Bhokta, and Phagu Ram Oraon, began scanning CCTV footage at major transit hubs. What they discovered was a solo itinerary mapped out by the minor.
The Journey
According to investigators, the boy first boarded a train from Bokaro to Muri. After spending a few hours at Muri station, he caught a train back to Bokaro, only to board another train bound for Dhanbad. The following day, he managed to board an interstate train to Gaya in Bihar, before eventually reaching Puri, hundreds of kilometers away from home.
Motive and Next Steps
Preliminary investigation suggests the Class VIII student engineered the trip of his own accord, driven by a desire to travel without notifying his family. Officers confirmed the boy is being brought back to Bokaro. Police will record his statement after he arrives and gather further details on what led him to leave home. The SP stated the boy will be produced before the court, after which legal formalities will be completed.
