Shimla, Aug 10,
Shimla Police have successfully traced and rescued three students who went missing from Bishop Cotton School (BCS), one of the city’s most prestigious private institutions, locating them within 24 hours. The rescued students — 11-year-old Angad from Kullu, Hitendra from Mohali, and Vidansh from Karnal — had gone missing on August 9 while on a school holiday.
According to the official police brief, the boys were recovered from Chaithla village in Kotkhai. A resident of Chaithla, identified as 45-year-old Sumit Sood, has been taken into custody. The breakthrough came after police received a lead involving a suspicious vehicle seen near the school. Acting swiftly, police tracked the vehicle and the suspect, taking them into custody after six hours of intensive efforts.
The vehicle was traced near Theog and later found parked in Kotkhai, where the children were located.
The operation was led by Additional Superintendent of Police Navdeep Singh, with the support of city officers, the Station House Officer of New Shimla, the CCTV surveillance team, and the District Crime Record Bureau (DCRB) team.
Officials praised the special investigation team for once again displaying its expertise and experience in handling complex cases.
Police have registered a kidnapping case — FIR at New Shimla Police Station, under Section 137(B). The ongoing investigation is examining CCTV footage, phone records, and calls made from a California-based virtual number.
The incident occurred when, due to a school holiday, several students went for a outing or walk towards Mall Road around 12 p.m. However, the three boys failed to return, sparking an immediate search. Families reportedly received calls from an unidentified US-based number, raising fears of a ransom demand, though police have stated that no confirmed ransom information has emerged. Notably, one of the rescued students is reportedly the son of the cousin of Punjab’s Minister.
Himachal Pradesh, long known for its reputation as a peaceful and largely crime-free state, now faces the discomforting reality that such a suspected kidnapping could tarnish that image — especially given the involvement of minors and the high-profile nature of one of the victims.
The investigation continues.
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