Ahmedabad police rescue missing minor from Haridwar

A 16-year-old girl from Ahmedabad's Maninagar area, who went missing from her home on June 14, was successfully rescued from Haridwar, Uttarakhand, following a multi-state operation by the Ahmedabad Police. A woman constable's undercover mission played a crucial role in tracing the minor and arresting the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The accused, identified as Hardik Raval, was arrested after police tracked him to Haridwar, where he was allegedly hiding with the minor while attempting to evade law enforcement.

According to police, the girl's parents, both persons with disabilities who work as private security guards, approached Maninagar Police Station after discovering that their daughter had disappeared from their residence on the morning of June 14.

The teenager was last seen at home on the night of June 13. After an unsuccessful search in the neighbourhood, the family lodged a missing person complaint.

Recognising the sensitivity of the case, Inspector J.P. Jadeja formed multiple teams to trace the minor. Investigators analysed mobile phone records and technical evidence, which revealed that the girl was travelling with Hardik Raval, a youth known to her from their native village.

Police said the accused deliberately kept his mobile phone switched off for extended periods to avoid being tracked. He reportedly activated the device only briefly while making digital payments before turning it off again, complicating efforts to pinpoint his location.

Despite these challenges, technical surveillance eventually narrowed the search area to Haridwar's Valmiki Vas locality.

Upon reaching Haridwar, a police team comprising a Police Sub-Inspector and Woman Police Constable Harshaben conducted extensive field inquiries and reviewed CCTV footage.

As the suspects were believed to be hiding in a densely populated settlement with numerous shanties, identifying their exact location proved difficult.

To gather intelligence without alerting the accused, Woman Police Constable Harshaben went undercover, posing as the missing girl's sister. She visited multiple hutments in the locality and made discreet inquiries, gradually narrowing down the search.

After two days of continuous efforts, police successfully located the hut where the accused and the minor were staying.

Both the accused and the minor were brought back to Ahmedabad. Following legal formalities, the Maninagar Police registered a case against Hardik Raval under the POCSO Act.

Police officials said the successful operation was the result of a combination of technical surveillance, field intelligence and conventional policing, which helped investigators track down the accused despite repeated attempts to evade arrest.