Mumbai police joins search for autistic boy Tarun, forms special team

Tarun Gupta

Monday morning saw the authorities - city police and the Railway Protection Force (RPF) - launch efforts to bring back autistic teen Tarun Gupta, who went missing from near his Colaba home on October 1. On Sunday, the MRA Marg police, with whom Tarun's parents had filed a missing person's plaint, finalised a team of 10 officers, headed by Senior Inspector Sanjay Kamble.

It has been learnt by mid-day learnt that cops have identified potential locations - railway stations, children's welfare shelters, orphanages, hospitals and small villages - for the hunt.

"The police is now in top gear," Tarun's father, Vinod told mid-day. "I met the authorities at MRA Marg police station on Sunday evening and was told about their plans to create a team to look for Tarun. Half the team members left on Monday at around 6.30 am and the rest left at around 9am. They will coordinate with local police stations during the search. They have assured me that they will leave no stone unturned."

Tarun's parents Vinod and Asha Gupta with a CCTV grab showing Tarun. File pic

Vinod, his wife Asha, and Foundation For Autism's (FFA) Sulekha Doshi, also met senior RPF and Government Railway Police (GRP) officers on Monday morning. Independent MLA Omprakash Babarao Kadu aka Bacchu Kadu was present for the meeting as well. "They assured us that they are doing everything possible to find him," Vinod said.

A CCTV camera footage shows Tarun Gupta at Sawantwadi station

Vinod and his family have been searching for Tarun with the help of CCTV footages from the various railway stations. His last known location was a Dadar-bound Janshatabdi Express, which he boarded from Sawantwadi on October 3. Information gleaned from passengers in the D-10 coach that Tarun boarded revealed that he was in the train till after it crossed Thane. However, after that, the trail went cold with no sign of the 16-year-old.

10
No. of members in the MRA Marg police team

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