KULGAM: Police in Kulgam successfully traced two missing minors within hours after a 7-year-old girl from Redwani Payeen and her juvenile cousin, aged around 13, went missing on Wednesday morning.
Police Station Qaimoo received information that the young girl had left home on her bicycle around 10:00 AM and had not returned. During verification, it emerged that her 13-year-old cousin, who had been playing with her at their residence, was also missing along with his bicycle.
Family members searched among relatives, but the duo remained untraced. After an appeal for help was posted on Facebook, some unknown individuals attempted to exploit the situation by making ransom-related calls. One caller even used AI tools to generate and share a fabricated image resembling the missing child, demanding money for her “release.”
Taking cognizance of the sensitive situation, SSP Kulgam formed a dedicated police team to trace the minors. The team followed all possible leads, analysed CCTV footage, and used technical support to track the children’s movements. While one team engaged the fraudulent caller to prevent the family from falling prey to the scam, another intensified efforts on the ground to locate the children. The virtual number used in the calls and the bank account details shared for ransom are being analysed to identify the culprits.
Through swift and coordinated action, police traced the minors to Janglat Mandi, Anantnag, and ensured their safe recovery within two hours of the matter being formally reported.
Both children were handed over to their families after completion of necessary legal formalities.
SSP Kulgam has appealed to the public to remain alert about their children’s safety and to promptly report such incidents to the police. He also urged media personnel to refrain from sharing photographs, identities, or any personal details of juveniles while reporting these cases.
