Himachal: Police rescue 3 kidnapped schoolboys in 12 hours; one arrested

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 10 (ANI): The Shimla District Police traced three kidnapped Class 6 students from the prestigious Bishop Cotton School (BCS) in less than 12 hours, ensuring their safe recovery, and arrested a 45-year-old man in connection with the case.
The district administration said it will soon issue safety directions to all schools to prevent such incidents in the future. The police said the case came to notice on Saturday evening when the school reported that three boys of class 6th had failed to return from an authorised outing.
The students were recovered from Kokunala village in Kotkhai. The district administration said it will soon issue safety directions to all schools to prevent such incidents in the future.
Superintendent of Shimla Police Sanjeev Kumar Gandhi said the children were medically examined after being brought back and are safe.
"The police, with alertness, traced the children safely. The kidnapper has also been arrested. Further action in the matter is being taken. A 45-year-old man has been arrested in this case," SP Gandhi told ANI.

"We immediately acted, forming teams led by Additional SP Navdeep Singh, SHO Sadar, and SHO Chhota Shimla, along with officials from neighbouring districts. Together, we successfully traced the children. This is a kidnapping case, and we will investigate the reasons behind it. The way our police team worked on this sensitive case is appreciable," police official said.
"We used CCTV and cyber investigation tools to track the case. We identified the vehicle and located it in Chaithila village in Kotkhai, where the children were found safe. Investigation is being done with due diligence, keeping all aspects open. Our duty was to find the children safely, and we fulfilled it," Gandhi said.
SP Gandhi emphasised that the investigation will remain transparent and will also examine measures schools should adopt for better safety.
"The person who took the children in the vehicle has been taken into custody. It was a team effort that resolved a complicated and difficult case on very short notice," he said.

Deputy Commissioner of Shimla district administration, Anupam Kashyap, commended the police for their swift action.
"As you know, Himachal Pradesh is a peaceful state, and Shimla generally runs in an orderly way. Such incidents do not usually happen. The police and administration are always alert. In this case, with proper coordinated effort, the Superintendent of Police and his entire team handled it competently and successfully. I congratulate them," Kashyap told ANI.
He said schools and parents need to be more vigilant.
"Children need to be guided more intensively in schools. Generally, such issues don't arise in Shimla and Himachal Pradesh. Many officers regularly monitor schools, adopt them, and give students tips on physical fitness and safety. This incident should not have happened, but the prompt efforts by Shimla Police were excellent. I believe the police remain ready day and night to fulfil their duty, and our aim is to ensure such incidents do not occur in the future," Kashyap said.
Deputy Commissioner of Shimla added that school activity calenders will be reviewed in light of the incident, and safety monitoring will be intensified.

Police had registered a Case under Section 137B of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at the New Shimla Police Station.
Further investigation is still underway. (ANI)