Three Missing Shimla Boarding School Students Found; Man Arrested
Three 11-year-old students from the prestigious Bishop Cotton School in Shimla, who went missing during a day outing, have been safely rescued from Kotkhai tehsil. The police arrested a 45-year-old man for allegedly kidnapping the boys. The students were located within a day after a massive search operation was launched, following a complaint from the school. Police used CCTV footage and tracked a suspicious vehicle, which provided the crucial lead to finding the children and the accused.
Unpacked:
Police registered a kidnapping case under Section 137 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, at New Shimla Police Station.
Police reviewed CCTV footage, identified a suspicious Delhi-registered vehicle, and launched a large search with around 150 personnel, cyber teams, and drones, which led them to Kotkhai/Chaithla where the boys were found and the vehicle was seized.
According to The Times of India, parents received a threat call from a U.S.-based number claiming the children were in custody of dangerous people; police said investigation includes a call from a California-based virtual number.
The accused is identified as Sumit Sood, 45, of Kokunala village in Kotkhai. Police found the boys in Chaithla/Kokunala area, reportedly locked inside a room of a multi-storeyed building, and rescued them within a day.