Indian Police Find Missing Toddler Alive After 35 Days and Arrest Six
A one-year-old toddler abducted in southern India while her homeless parents slept has been found alive after 35 days. Police arrested six suspects and are investigating whether a financial transaction was involved.
A one-year-old toddler who disappeared while her homeless parents slept by a roadside in southern India has been found alive after a 35-day search. Police have arrested six people in connection with the abduction and are investigating potential financial motives.
The infant, named Mahashwari, vanished overnight between September 23 and 24 in the Lapet area of Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu. Her parents, 46-year-old B. Shankar and 23-year-old S. Perma, are homeless and make a living by collecting plastic bottles and begging.
According to their statement, the family fell asleep under the open sky by the road. Upon waking, they discovered their young daughter was missing and filed a complaint at the local SIPCOT police station.
The investigation faced immediate hurdles as surveillance cameras near the site were malfunctioning, forcing police to rely on alternative leads. District Superintendent of Police P. Sibin formed six special investigative teams to track the suspects through extended camera footage, area sweeps, and witness testimonies.
Investigators eventually traced the toddler across state lines to neighboring Andhra Pradesh. Following coordinated cross-border searches, Mahashwari was safely located near the Renigunta railway station in Andhra Pradesh after 35 days.
Six individuals have been arrested, including R. Santhosh, M. Kumaran, D. Bhupathy, and B. Kausalya. Authorities stated that Bhupathy and Kausalya are suspected of snatching the child and transferring her to a woman named Malshwari residing in Andhra Pradesh.
According to police findings, Malshwari had been childless after her husband left her two decades ago. Investigators are currently examining whether a financial transaction was involved in handing the child over to her.
While some suspects have confessed to taking the child past midnight, senior officers emphasized that it has not yet been definitively proven that the toddler was sold. Police are continuing to analyze phone records and security footage to determine the full scope of the conspiracy and identify any additional accomplices.
