Missing Delhi girl rescued after 1 year from Agra

Swayed by reel portrayals of love and adventure, a teenage girl from outer north Delhi allegedly ran away with her 19-year-old neighbour. She was rescued by the police after more than a year, a senior officer said on Sunday.

Advertisement

"The girl, who was 16 at the time, went missing from Narela on February 3, 2024. Her disappearance led to an extensive search operation and she was ultimately located in Agra," the officer added.

The Delhi Police had announced a reward of Rs 20,000 for information leading to her rescue. The officer said the girl was swayed by her neighbour, a former schoolmate, to run away with him. She believed that their journey would mirror the plot of romantic films.

Her family filed a complaint at Narela police station, leading to the registration of an FIR for kidnapping. Following the FIR's registration, the Cyber Cell of the Crime Branch formed a specialised team to trace the girl.

"By analysing CCTV camera footage, the team discovered that the girl had boarded a train from New Delhi railway station heading to Jammu and Kashmir. The team traced her movements from Jammu and Kashmir to Mumbai and eventually to Agra," the officer said.

"On March 21, a tip indicated that she was living near the Taj Mahal. The police raided the location and rescued her," he added.

The girl revealed that she ran away with her neighbour, believing it to be a romantic adventure. However, she became disillusioned after moving to Mumbai. She then moved to Agra, taking up odd jobs to sustain herself, he added.

The police did not share details about the man she had run away with.