Police search for ‘missing’ kids all night, turns out they went to watch Baahubali 2
As the officials were scouring various parts of the city in search of three missing children, they were worried and ready for several untoward and grim scenarios.
After breaking numerous records with its box office collections and making frenzied moviegoers rush to overcrowded cinema halls, Baahubali 2 has achieved another feat, a rather unlikely one.
The film has managed to keep the entire staff of a police station in Jaipur awake and on their toes throughout Wednesday night.
As the officials were scouring various parts of the city in search of three missing children, they were worried and ready for several untoward and grim scenarios.
What they didn’t imagine was that the ‘missing’ children had gone to watch SS Rajamouli’s magnum opus, Baahubali 2.
“We received information on Wednesday evening that three children, aged between 8 and 13 had gone missing from Shakti Nagar. Two of the kids were brothers and the third was one of their friends,” said Guru Datt Saini, sub inspector, Jhotwara police station, Jaipur.
What followed was a massive search operation with the entire force of the police station.
“We searched many areas of the city as it was a very serious matter. We used our network of informants and several vehicles were patrolling different areas through the whole night,” said Saini.
The operation was being monitored right at the top level and the officials had braced for all types of contingencies.
“We consistently coordinated with the different search parties. The station house officer himself led the operation,” said assistant commissioner of police (Jhotwara) Aas Mohammed.
Finally, on early Thursday morning the search operation was fruitful after the missing children were discovered near a temple in Jhotwara. But the real jolt of shock was reserved for the police, after the kids were found.
“They told us that they went to a nearby mall to watch Baahubali 2. But they couldn’t get the tickets and weren’t able to watch the movie. Following that they were worried that they were late and in fear of being scolded in their home, further strayed away and lost their way,” said Mohammed.
The police said that all three of the children have been sent to their family members.
“The children are safe, and we have dropped them at their homes…I haven’t slept for the entire night and will rest now. Please contact the police station for more details about the case,” Gur Bhupendra Singh, station house officer, Jhotwara told HT, sounding visibly weary.
Without wishing to be named, several police officials told HT they had never imagined that the kids were at an air conditioned multiplex, trying to book tickets of Baahubali 2, even as the men in khaki were combing various dingy lanes of the city, forsaking their night’s sleep.
