NEW DELHI: Delhi Police has rescued an 11-year-old boy who was allegedly lured with prasad by a woman and later forced into garbage collection work in northwest Delhi’s Shakurpur area, officials said on Saturday.
Police registered a case of kidnapping and launched a search after the boy’s parents — both daily wagers — reported the matter at Subhash Place police station on October 5, a day after his disappearance.
“It was revealed by the boy’s mother that one day she received a short call from an unknown number where someone just said ‘mummy’, and the call got disconnected. She tried to contact the number several times but did not succeed,” a police officer said.
Acting on leads, police conducted local inquiries, analysed technical data, and questioned residents of the area before shortlisting a few suspects, the officer added.
Police later traced the boy to Shakurpur on the basis of technical surveillance and field verification, from where he was rescued safely.
“The boy stated that a woman residing in their neighbourhood lured him by offering prasad and subsequently forced him into garbage collection work. He was subjected to physical abuse and starvation.
One day, he managed to call his mother, but the woman snatched the phone soon after,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Pankaj Kumar said. Efforts are being made to trace and arrest the woman, whose details have been shared with the local police, the officer further said.