After 18-hours of intense search, Agartala police rescue abducted one-year-old child

After an intense 18-hour statewide search, Agartala police, with the support of all police stations across the eight districts of Tripura and some good citizens, successfully rescued a one-year-old boy on Thursday afternoon,  who had been abducted from the capital’s high-security zone on Wednesday afternoon.

The child was kidnapped by an unidentified woman from near Shishu Bihar School—an area adjacent to the official residence of the Chief Minister and several cabinet ministers. Following the incident, West Agartala police station immediately launched a massive rescue operation, sharing the child’s photograph and details with all police stations across the state.

On Thursday afternoon, the child was finally located at Agartala Railway Station with the cooperation of local citizens and the help of electronic surveillance. Police managed to recover the child before the kidnapper could flee the city by a long-distance train.

Providing details, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of West Agartala Police Station, Rana Chatterjee, said that immediately after receiving the kidnapping report, police began a widespread search and alerted all district units. He credited the “relentless efforts” of the force and the assistance of city residents for the successful rescue.

The rescued child, identified as Suraj, was taken for a medical examination and was found to be in good health. He has since been reunited with his mother.

However, when questioned about the identity of the abductor and how the child ended up at the railway station, the OC did not give a clear response, leading to speculation in various circles. He confirmed that the investigation is underway, but did not comment on whether any arrests have been made so far.

An emotional scene unfolded at West Agartala police station when Suraj leapt from the arms of a woman police officer and ran directly into his mother’s embrace. Police personnel present showered the child with affection and relief.

It may be recalled here that the boy’s mother, Dipali Shil of Amtali under West Tripura district, frequently travels to Agartala with her two sons—a five-year-old and the one-year-old—to beg for survival after her husband, Dilip Shil, a daily wage labourer, became ill and unable to work.

The abduction occurred when Dipali went to use the public toilet near Shishu Bihar School. Taking advantage of the moment, an unidentified woman allegedly grabbed the infant and fled in an auto-rickshaw.

Following an alert to the Emergency Response Support System (ERSS), police patrol teams rushed to the spot, collected CCTV footage from Smart City surveillance cameras, and registered a case at West Agartala police station.