Boy missing since 2015 from Noida traced in Haryana; identified by injury marks, say police

Noida, Jun 11 (PTI) A boy who went missing from Noida nearly a decade ago was traced to Haryana and reunited with his family on Tuesday after police identified him by his old injury marks, officials said.

The boy, who was seven when he went missing in 2015 from Gejha village in the Phase-2 area, is now around 17 years old, a Central Noida police officer said.

A case of kidnapping was registered under Indian Penal Code Section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) on November 6, 2015, but despite sustained efforts over the years, no leads emerged and the final report was submitted in December 2022, police said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Shakti Mohan Awasthy said a breakthrough came when Surajkund police in Haryana arrested a man named Mangal Kumar on May 28 in connection with a separate kidnapping case. During interrogation, Kumar revealed that he had abducted another child from Noida and changed his name The Surajkund police informed their counterparts in Noida, but the child's changed name made it difficult for police to immediately identify him.

The boy, currently in custody, was questioned by police about his family and childhood. Officers studied records for six continuous hours and eventually linked him to FIR No. 723/2015.

He remembered his parents' names but not the address. A mobile number from the FIR, registered in the name of the father’s friend, led police to Agra, where the family had since moved.

The family came for physical identification and confirmed the child based on a cut on one finger of his right hand and a mark under his left eye, police said.

He will be handed over to the family after completing legal procedures and a DNA test for final confirmation, officials added.

DCP Awasthy announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 for the police team for their efforts in the case. PTI COR OZ OZ