Police trace 3 missing minor girls within hours in Anantnag, reunite them with families

Police in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district traced three minor girls within hours after they went missing from the Brakpora area, reuniting them with their families on Saturday, officials and families said.

The girls, all residents of Nunwani village in Brakpora, were reported missing on Friday evening, triggering an extensive search operation by police and anxious efforts by family members and villagers.

One of the girls, 13, is a native of Nunwani, while the other two are sisters, aged 8 and 9, originally from Gumri village in Warwan area of Kishtwar district and currently residing in Nunwani.

According to families, the girls had returned home from school and later attended a local Darasgah.

After coming back home, they left to buy snacks from a nearby grocery shop around 6 p.m.

“When they did not return home, we searched for them everywhere but could not find them,” a family member said. “We then approached Achabal police station and lodged a missing report.”

The family said police immediately launched efforts to trace the girls and continued the search through the night.

“We spent the entire night looking for them. Their mothers were crying and everyone in the village was worried,” a relative said. “When we learned they had been found safe, it was a huge relief. We are very thankful to the police.”

A police spokesperson said that soon after receiving information about the missing girls, police constituted multiple teams and launched a coordinated search operation under the supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Anantnag.

“Through sustained efforts, technical assistance and ground-level verification, the police teams succeeded in tracing all three girls within hours,” the spokesperson said.

“All three missing minor girls have been traced and are safe. After completion of the necessary legal formalities, they were handed over to their respective legal heirs,” he added.

Police said the girls were found in good health and credited the prompt response and coordinated action of teams on the ground for their quick recovery.

The spokesperson urged the public to report such incidents immediately so that timely action can be initiated.

Villagers also joined the search soon after news of the girls’ disappearance spread through the area.

“We are grateful to the villagers as well,” a family member said. “They stood by us throughout the night, comforted us and assured us that the girls would return safely.”