Study Stress? 16-Year-Old Boy, Missing From Bhubaneswar, Traced; Ransom Demand Fake

Bhubaneswar: Sixteen-year-old Yogesh Balaji, who had allegedly been missing from Bhubaneswar for the past eight days, was traced by Maitree Vihar police near Jenapur road in Odisha’s Puri, on Friday.

He is being brought to the state capital.

The boy reportedly left home on July 6 after being scolded by schoolteacher and parents for not attending school since June 28. His family members carried out a frantic search late into the night but in vain. Following this, they lodged a missing complaint with the local police station. On Thursday, his parents staged a dharna outside Maitree Vihar police station here and alleged that they received an anonymous text message from a man who demanded Rs 3 lakh ransom to release the minor.

Speaking to the media, a police officer said that the boy left home since he was unable to take the stress related to studies. “He rode his bicycle to Jatni with Rs 1,000 in his pocket and boarded a train at Balugaon station to Puri. When left with no money, an unknown person at Jenapur station gave him food and then contacted the police,” the officer said.

The ransom demand was fake, the officer said, adding that since they had shared the number of the boy’s father, someone played mischief.

“My son was found today by the police” said Yogesh’s father while profusely thanking the authorities for their efforts.