Sri Vijaya Puram, October 28: An 18-year-old Class XII student who went missing from Prothrapur Chowk has been traced to a lodge in Haddo within 24 hours, and police have arrested a 28-year-old man found with her. The case was registered at Pahargaon police station following a complaint from the student’s parents, while investigators continue to establish the sequence of events and the circumstances surrounding her disappearance.
The student went missing from her residence on October 24, prompting Pahargaon police to register a first information report (FIR) and form a search team. Personnel from Chatham and Aberdeen police stations subsequently joined the operation to locate her.
The teams conducted local enquiries, examined CCTV footage and circulated hue-and-cry notices through social media groups. After receiving information about the student’s whereabouts, police searched bus stations, hotels and lodges as part of the coordinated effort. They eventually located her at a lodge in Haddo, where they found her with the man.
Police identified the arrested man as Manoj Kumar, 28, son of Alfred Katchuwa and a resident of Tusnabad. He is currently in police custody remand as investigators work to determine the circumstances of the incident.
The police have not disclosed further details about the events leading to the student’s disappearance or the nature of the alleged offence. The investigation remains underway, and the circumstances surrounding the case have yet to be established.
Inspector Sahil Shamsuddin, station house officer of Pahargaon police station, led the operation under the supervision of Abhijit Sirohi, IPS, Sub-Divisional Police Officer, South Andaman. Teams from the three police stations participated in the search.
The case highlights the importance of prompt reporting when a person goes missing and the role of coordinated searches in locating them. Police began the operation after the student’s parents approached Pahargaon police station and expanded the search across multiple locations before tracing her.
South Andaman Police has urged residents to report information about crimes or other illegal activities through the emergency number 112 or the contact numbers 03192-232100 and 03192-236641. Police have stated that they will keep informants’ identities confidential.
