Mumbai: 2 minor girls abducted and traced within 12 hrs, kidnapper nabbed

Two minor girls, aged three and five years, who were kidnapped from Agripada early morning on Thursday were rescued after a 12-hour-long search. Police have arrested a 19-year-old specially-abled youth, Gaurav Mahadik, who had abducted the girls by luring them with a chocolate and then roaming on the streets of South Mumbai. The girls were safely rescued and sent for medical tests. Mahadik is a resident of NM Joshi Marg.

According to the police, the girls who lived with their uncle's family in a chawl close to Baby Garden at Agripada often wandered off to play. On Thursday morning also, the girls were seen playing near the Baby Garden signal. A few hours later, they failed to return to the spot after which the family approached the police to register a case of kidnapping.

The Agripada police scrutinised the CCTV camera footage of the area. One of the footage showed a man approaching the girls and lured them with chocolates. The girls were seen walking away with the man towards Mumbai Central railway station.

Police said after fanning out teams to search at the railway stations and other neighbouring areas, the girls were traced on the VP Road in Charni Road, where they were wandering alone. The police rescued the girls and have arrested Mahadik and booked him for kidnapping.