Four missing from Nashik shelter; abduction feared

Four minors, aged between 14 and 15, have reportedly gone missing from a shelter home in Nashik's Nanawali area. These children had been rescued by the city police as part of Operation Muskan approximately two weeks prior. They disappeared from the facility around 4:30 am on Saturday.

The Bhadrakali police have initiated a case of abduction against an unidentified individual, a necessary step given the victims are minors. An investigation into the shelter home's security protocols is underway to understand how the children left undetected. Police are conducting searches and reviewing CCTV footage from various locations to trace the missing boys.

Operation Muskan had previously rescued 64 children who were found wandering or begging on the streets. While some were reunited with families, others were placed in shelter homes like the one in Nanawali, managed by the women and child development commissionerate.

Experts suggest that children who have experienced trauma, neglect, or street life may exhibit intense fight-or-flight responses, viewing escape as a defense mechanism, even in a protected environment.