In Bengaluru, a 13-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother ran away after being scolded by their mother for skipping classes. Using KSRTC’s free bus scheme, they travelled across districts before police traced them through social media.
A surprising incident was reported from Ashwath Nagar in Marathahalli, Bengaluru, where a 13-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother left home after being scolded by their parents over attending tuition classes. The children reportedly became upset when questioned about their studies and decided to leave the house without informing anyone. They went missing around 3 pm on February 1, prompting their distressed parents to lodge a complaint at the HAL police station.
Free Bus Scheme Helps Children Travel Across Districts
What astonished the police was the presence of mind shown by the 13-year-old girl. Aware of the state government’s ‘Shakti’ scheme, which allows free bus travel for women, she carried her Aadhaar card, took her younger brother along, and boarded a KSRTC bus. The siblings travelled across several districts, including Chitradurga and Shivamogga, without carrying any money, relying solely on the Aadhaar card for travel.
Social Media Leads Police To Missing Siblings
Soon after the case was registered, the HAL police alerted stations across the state and shared the children’s photographs on social media. Members of the public in Chitradurga, who recognised the children from the online posts, informed the police. Acting swiftly on the tip-off, the police traced the siblings, brought them safely back to Bengaluru, and reunited them with their parents.
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Ticketless Travel Of Younger Child Raises Questions
It is noteworthy that while the girl was eligible for free travel under the scheme, the 9-year-old boy travelled without a ticket, a fact that reportedly went unnoticed by the bus conductor. The incident has sparked discussion about monitoring mechanisms under free travel schemes. Meanwhile, the parents expressed immense relief after their children were found safe and returned home.
