Man, woman kidnap 2-year-old girl from waiting hall at CST

MUMBAI: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has launched a manhunt to trace a man and a woman who allegedly kidnapped a 2-year-old girl from the waiting room at

MUMBAI: The Government Railway Police (GRP) has launched a manhunt to trace a man and a woman who allegedly kidnapped a 2-year-old girl from the waiting room at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) early Saturday.

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According to the GRP, the toddler has been identified as Vaishnavi Santosh Dhavse. “Her mother left from their slum near four bungalows in Andheri after she was furious with her alcoholic husband. She came straight to CST station on Friday night to board a Nagpur-bound train as she wanted to go to her mother’s place in Buldhana,” said Vilas Chowgule, police inspector, CST GRP. The woman’s husband does odd jobs, police said.

The mother and her daughter were at the waiting hall around 9pm. “While we scanned the CCTV images, we found a man and woman loitering in the hall since 9 pm. They also indulged in a conversation with the child’s mother in Marathi. The two were decently dressed,” said Chowgule.

At around 4.20am, the woman who was seen indulging in conversation with the mother is seen picking up the child and walking away. Within ten to fifteen minutes, the child’s mother woke up only to find her daughter missing. By the time she realised, it was too late.

Investigations revealed that the kidnappers took a taxi to Masjid Bunder railway station from where they boarded a harbour train to either Andheri or Panvel.

“The mother is pregnant and dozed off when the daughter was kidnapped. She approached us after which the CCTV footages were scanned,” said Chowgule.

A case of kidnapping has been registered in this regard and the police are looking out for the two suspects. The police suspect that the kidnappers may be a couple who are in their thirties.

The GRP has alerted the local police station to find the child. The CCTV footages of suburban stations is also being scanned to find clues in the case.