Set out to 'see the world', 2 missing minor Jalna girls visit Nepal, Mumbai; rescued after 9 days

Jalna, Dec 10 (PTI) After an intensive nine-day search across multiple states and even international borders, police have traced and rescued two minor girls who had gone missing from a village in Jalna district of Maharashtra, police officials said on Wednesday.

The girls, aged 14 and 15, and residents of Manjargaon village under Badnapur tehsil, had travelled to Nepal and later Mumbai, influenced by social media and a desire to "see the world," they said.

The teenagers have been reunited with their families.

According to police, the girls, classmates studying in Class 10, left their respective home on December 1 after telling their parents they were going to attend a school programme and would return late.

When they did not come back, their worried parents lodged a missing complaint at the Badnapur police station. Their mobile phones were switched off most of the time, though they briefly became active on WhatsApp, giving police crucial leads, they said.

During their journey towards Nepal, the girls met a man named Aditya Jha from Mumbai and took his contact number. After reaching Janakpur in Nepal -- chosen by them because it is a "safe country" accessible without a passport -- they eventually travelled back to Mumbai, where Jha and his family sheltered the duo, unaware cops had been looking for them, police said.

Following technical analysis, police traced the hotspot location used by the girls through Jha's device. A Badnapur police team rushed to Mumbai and located them at Kalwa in adjoining Thane district.

"If we had reached ten minutes late, the girls would have left again," an officer said.

Police Inspector M T Survase said the girls were heavily influenced by social media trends.

"They said they wanted to see the world. Even when we caught them, they were taking selfies and enjoying the journey. When handed over to their parents, they did not show remorse," he added.

The search operation extended to Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Nepal, and finally Mumbai.

Additional Superintendent of Police Ayush Nopany coordinated with Nepal authorities to track their movement across the border. The girls were reunited with their families in Jalna.

Their parents' joy knew no bounds, police said.

District Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar Bansal appreciated the Badnapur police team for their swift and dedicated efforts in tracing the missing minors. PTI COR RSY