Berhampur Rescues Four Missing Schoolgirls within 12 Hours 

Berhampur: In a breakthrough, the Berhampur Police has successfully rescued four 13-year-old girls within 12 hours of their reported disappearance.

The girls, all classmates studying in Class 9 at Government Girls High School, Badabazar, had gone missing together on August 22, 2025.

The case began when a 37-year-old mother from Martha Sahi reported her daughter missing on August 22.

Badabazar Police registered the case and launched an immediate investigation.

It was soon discovered that the 13-year-old girl had gone missing along with three other classmates of the same age from the Badabazar area.

Subsequently, the parents of the other three girls also reported their daughters missing, leading to the registration of three additional cases.

Recognizing the sensitivity of the situation, Badabazar Police formed a specialized team, which worked tirelessly through the night, meticulously reviewing CCTV footage from the town area to trace the girls’ movements.

Investigations revealed that the girls’ disappearance stemmed from an incident at their school.

On August 18, one of the girls had asked a Class 8 student if she was interested in a romantic relationship with her brother, in the presence of two other friends. The Class 8 student reported this to her mother, who informed the school headmaster. On August 21, 2025, the headmaster summoned the three girls, advised them against such behavior, and instructed them to bring their parents to school the next day. Frightened by the prospect of facing their parents, the three girls, along with a fourth friend, decided to run away from home with the intention of heading to Bhubaneswar.

On the morning of August 22, 2025, the four girls left their homes under the pretense of going to school. Instead, they went to a public restroom in Old Berhampur, where they changed out of their school uniforms into civilian clothes. They then traveled to Digapahandi, where one of the girls withdrew ₹500 from an SBI ATM. The group returned to Berhampur, alighting at City Hospital Chhaka, and later contacted a friend of one of the girls in Chatrapur. They proceeded to Chatrapur by bus.

The Badabazar Police team conducted relentless searches at key locations, including bus stands, railway stations, and relatives’ homes. Their persistent efforts paid off when, at around 2:00 PM on August 23, 2025, all four girls were located and rescued from IRE Chhaka, Chamakhandi. The girls were safely reunited with their parents, said Berhampur SP Dr. Saravana Vivek M.

The swift and coordinated response by the Badabazar Police, coupled with their rigorous investigation, ensured the safe recovery of the minors within a mere 12 hours.