16-year-old who ran away from Noida home found at New Delhi railway station

The boy left home, in a high-rise building in Sector 78, around 7.30am on Sunday on the pretext of going to a coaching class, but did not reach the class

A 16-year-old Class 10 student who ran away from his Noida residence on Sunday morning was found at the New Delhi Railway Station on Wednesday morning and reunited with his parents, police said. He wanted to join the army against his parents’ wishes and decided to leave home after being scolded by his parents for not studying seriously, police said.

Police said they mapped out the routes from the residence and used surveillance to track him. (Representative photo)

The boy left home, in a high-rise building in Sector 78, around 7.30am on Sunday on the pretext of going to a coaching class, but did not reach the class. When his parents learned he was missing, they filed a missing persons’ complaint.

“We have registered a case of section 137(2) (kidnapping) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and formed two teams to recover the boy,” said Krishna Gopal Sharma, station house officer of Sector 113 police station.

Police said they mapped out the routes from the residence and used surveillance to track him. “Upset over the refusal (by his parents to allow him to join the armed forces), he left home on Sunday and reached Delhi railway station,” SHO Sharma said.

A police officer, requesting anonymity, said, “He was angry with his parents and confused about where to move after leaving home. Since he did not have much money, he stayed at the New Delhi railway station and bought food from stalls. He was also using railway Wi-Fi to contact his family members. In messages, he informed them that he would not return and misled them, saying that he was in Gujarat”. 

On Monday, the teenager’s father told HT: “He left with his phone, charger, and around ₹250. He’s been messaging his cousin on WhatsApp, saying he won’t return home and is in Gujarat. His phone was switched off, and the police told us he used a railway station’s Wi-Fi to send messages.”

The boy’s father said they had scolded him four days ago for not studying seriously as his board exams were approaching. “Since then, he seemed upset and told his friends he might leave home. They thought he was joking. We didn’t think he’d actually do it. We just scolded him like any other parent,” he said.

After the boy’s recovery, the father refused comment. “I have found my child; that is more than enough for me,” he said.