The sensational news of 16-year-old Pooja Gaud reuniting with her family is making rounds of social media. Gaud, who was missing for as many as 9 years, was kidnapped and forced to work, before the fortunes smiled at her and she somehow managed to reunite with her family.
Meanwhile, 50-year-old Harry D’Souza was also arrested by the police for allegedly kidnapping Pooja. Harry reportedly had no child, and hence kidnapped the little girl. He later forced her into working after having his own daughter.
According to reports, Gaud was a resident of Andheri, Mumbai, and used to be a student at the municipal school in the same Mumbai suburb. Back in January 2013, she went missing after leaving for her home from school. After multiple failed attempts by her parents, a missing person’s complaint was filed, and an investigation was ensued, to no avail.
While the case went colder by the day, the police did keep an eye on any further tip-offs. The lucky break transpired earlier last week when a lady approached police and shared her suspicion of the missing girl staying in Nehru Nagar.
The police brought a couple for questioning, and they confessed about the entire ordeal. The police also interrogated the girl, who was initially puzzled, and then later told them that she was indeed Pooja.
The Facts of the Matter
Assistant Sub Inspector Rajendra Bhosale from Mumbai Police is past retired from his service. For years, he was carrying an invisible weight on his shoulders, which didn’t let him relax after getting retired. He was in-charge of a missing person’s case. The missing person was Pooja Gaud, a girl who had gone missing in 2013.
Police Inspector Relieved
Thanks to twist of fate, Gaud was recently reunited with his family, and the huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. The now elated inspector shared his relief and was quoted saying, “Even after my retirement, I thought about the girl every day and prayed that she is found. I am elated and I can now rest without any more tension.”
The Abduction and Consequences
It so happened that back in January 2013, Andheri resident Pooja Gaud was leaving from her Municipal school to her home. Although she was accompanied by her older brother, he was walking a little bit ahead.
Speaking about the entire ordeal, he was quoted saying, “We left the house together for school. I was walking little bit ahead. At one point, I turned back to check on her, but I couldn’t see her.”
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Investigation Ensues
After she was not found by her family, a missing person’s complaint was filed. An investigation was ensued, but was to no avail. As the months and weeks passed, the case got colder. However, the police did keep an eye on any leads.
Lucky Tip-Off
Fortunes smiled on everyone involved in the case as the police received a tip-off earlier last week about Pooja Gaud behing in Nehru Nagar. Based on the tip-off, a team of police spoke to Harry D’Souza and his wife Vyankatamma.
Although the couple was initially evasive about the entire ordeal, they later confessed to their crime. Both Harry and Vyankatamma remained childless and hence decided to kidnap little Pooja.
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Couple Booked, Made Pooja Work as Housemaid
However, three years of kidnapping Pooja, they had their own child, and decided to put her through work. The couple treated the little girl unkindly, and made her work as though she was a housemaid.
The accused couple have been booked under multiple sections of IPC, including sections pertaining to kidnapping, trafficking, confinement, and compelling person for labour. On Thursday, D’Souza was arrested and was remanded to the custody.
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