Bhubaneswar schoolgirl missing for several hours found at Capital Hospital, police probe underway

A suspected case of abduction involving a schoolgirl in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar came to light on Monday after the student was reported missing for several hours before being traced at Capital Hospital here. 

Police sources said that the circumstances leading to her disappearance and subsequent arrival at the hospital were being investigated.

The girl, a student of a government school located under Bharatpur police station limits, resides in the Airfield police station area. 

According to police, she missed her school bus on the day of the incident and contacted her family using a teacher’s phone to inform them of the situation. However, when family members reached the school, the girl was not present on the premises.

After failing to locate her despite searching at multiple places, the family informed the police, prompting a search operation.

At around 9 p.m., police received information that the girl had reached Capital Hospital. Police officials and family members rushed to the hospital following the alert. Preliminary findings indicated that the student booked an autorickshaw and travelled to the hospital on her own.

Police said it remained unclear where the girl went to during the intervening hours, whether she was abducted, or how she decided to go to the hospital.

DCP Jagmohan Meena said the girl appeared to be in poor mental condition when found and was later handed over to her family. He added that no formal complaint of abduction was lodged by the family.

Police questioned the girl but did not get a satisfactory answer. Later, her family members, the teacher whose phone was used for the call, and school authorities were also questioned.

No injuries were found on the student, and the family denied that she was under stress. Officials said no suspicious activity or involvement of the teacher or school authorities was found.