Tirupati: Missing school students restored to parents

Tirupati: The five school students, including three girls and two boys, who went missing were traced out by Tirupati police in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and were brought back on Monday night.

According to Anantapur range DIG Ravi Prakash, the swift action on the part of Tirupati police saw the five students, including two minors, studying in a private school were tracked down and safely brought home.

The DIG, who along with SP P Parameswar Reddy made inspection of Alipiri police station, later disclosed that the five, who addicted to social media, for various personal reasons decided to live in a place far away from their families. After discussing with each other, they left the city after attending the morning study hour in the school.

Luckily, police team could reach them before they fall into the hands of some undesirable elements and were brought back safely, the DIG said, informing that they along with their family members were counselled and in the presence of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) handed over to their parents.

He said special teams were formed immediately after the complaint received on the five school students went missing and intense investigation helped the police to know that they reached Agra. A police special team dashed to Agra and brought back, he explained.

The senior police officer said the responsibility of the children's protection is more on the parents who should constantly observe them while the education institutions where the children are studying and the hostel and school managements where the children were staying too have the responsibility in the sense they and the parents should educate them and make them know the realities of the life, values and remain away from vices.

The DIG was candid enough to say that the parent should keep their children away from social media as most of the stuff is created, fabricated, exaggerated far from the truth, but gives a rosy picture making it more appealing.

It may be noted here that the five who went to the study class in the school in Nehru Nagar in the city and did not return on November 9, creating flutter in the city.

On the inspection of Alipiri police station, the DIG said though the crimes of burglaries came down, the cases related to land disputes reported more in the police station.

Directing the Tirupati police to take stern measures to check crimes in the world famous pilgrim city, he said that there is every possibility of the criminals taking advantage of the constant flow of pilgrims and posing as devotees to indulge in crimes.

It is the bounden duty of the police to ensure protection to the people, he said, and in the same breath added that if any one violates discipline he will face the music.

Ravi Prakash lauded the police for taking up awareness programmes involving Mahila police sensitising people against cyber frauds that are on the rise.