Missing boy found in safe custody of bus cleaner

A three-year-old boy, believed to be kidnapped from south Delhi’s Malviya Nagar, was found in the safe care of a bus cleaner who made personal efforts to have the boy identified, police said on Sunday.

The man Kamal, a resident of Hauz Rani, had found Golu loitering around on a road on Saturday afternoon. He tried to enquire from him his parents’ names and address, but to no response.

Kamal then carried the boy to a market in Malviya Nagar’s A-block to ask people around if they knew the boy. It helped as a police team searching for Golu learnt of his presence in the market and subsequently recovered him.

Golu’s parents had approached police on Saturday afternoon to report that he had gone missing while playing in the Delhi Jal Board ground near his house. The boy’s father was leaving for work while his mother was engrossed in some household work when they noticed him missing. They told police they suspected that Golu was abducted.

Police claimed they launched a “massive” search operation involving 12 teams. The entire available staff of Malviya Nagar police station was roped in to trace the boy, they claimed.

“As per the description and clothes worn by the child, the teams conducted search operation at all temples, mosque, schools, parks, abandoned buildings, bus stops, metro stations, etc. and in the area surrounding the residence of the complainant,” said Prem Nath, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South).

Police said they have recommended the names of some public persons, including that of Kamal, for a reward to send out a message to the people that this is how they should react in such situations.