Surat police not only fulfilled their duty of maintaining law and order but also displayed exceptional empathy and responsibility by reuniting a four-year-old girl with her parents. The child, Riya, who had recently arrived from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, with her family to spend the summer holidays, went missing while playing near her home in the Bhandari Chawl area of Adajan.
As per media report, the incident occurred around 1 PM on Sunday, April 20, when Riya wandered away while playing and lost her way. A vigilant passerby noticed the unaccompanied child and took her directly to the DCP office at Adajan Zone-5.
Under the guidance of Additional Commissioner of Police Rakesh Barot and Assistant Commissioner D.M. Chaudhary, Inspector P.J. Solanki of Adajan Police mobilized the station’s SHE Team along with three surveillance teams to locate the girl’s parents. The teams reviewed footage from over 30 CCTV cameras and, with the girl’s photo shared across mobile phones, began questioning locals in various neighborhoods.
Utilizing human intelligence and language clues, the police identified and located the parents within minutes. Interestingly, by the time the police reached them, the parents were unaware that their daughter had gone missing.
Inspector P.J. Solanki highlighted the critical importance of time in missing child cases. Unlike the usual practice where family members file a missing person’s report, in this case, the police took proactive steps based solely on information from the child.
Constable Dhegabhai Parmar of Adajan Police Station explained that due to the girl’s young age, she was first brought to the police station along with the SHE Team. There, Inspector Solanki personally comforted her, offering biscuits, chocolates, and milk, creating a calm and reassuring environment.
This prompt and compassionate effort by Adajan police stands as a testament to community policing and their commitment to public service, reinforcing the public’s trust in law enforcement during times of distress.
