NAGPUR: What began as a routine afternoon for the Bagde family turned into a day of panic when four-year-old Himanshu went missing on Wednesday, only to be found safe the next morning, asleep in a classroom of his school at Khaparkheda, on the outskirts of Nagpur.
Himanshu, a playful ‘balwadi’ student, lives just half a kilometre from the two-room school in Borkar Layout.
On Wednesday, while playing near the school, he wandered inside a classroom, unaware that the premises would later be locked by the staff without a final check. When the child did not return home by evening, his parents’ concern quickly escalated into fear.
“He left home around 5.30pm to play, and by late evening, we couldn’t find him anywhere,” said Vishwajit Bagde, Himanshu’s father. Alarmed, the family approached Khaparkheda police and filed a missing child complaint, fearing the worst. “At first, we were worried about the possibility of abduction,” Vishwajit admitted, recalling the anxious hours that stretched into the night.
The police registered a kidnapping case based on Vishwajit’s complaint. An intensive search operation was immediately launched under senior inspector Harish Roomkar and zonal DCP Sandeep Pakhale.
Officers, local volunteers, and police teams scoured residential areas, nearby schools, Anganwadi centres, rivers, under-construction sites, and even neighbouring Koradi, Kamptee, and Saoner towns. CCTV footage was reviewed, photographs circulated through media channels, and every lead was pursued, but Himanshu remained elusive.
“We were baffled as CCTV footage could not provide any clue. A last-seen witness had merely spotted Himanshu playing behind his home in the late afternoon,” said Roomkar.
The breakthrough came unexpectedly on Thursday around 10am. A woman staff member visited the school, though it was a school holiday on account of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj jayanti, to oversee some construction work. The staffer discovered Himanshu asleep inside the locked classroom and informed the police. “It was a huge relief. He was safe and unharmed,” said Roomkar. The boy was immediately reunited with his overjoyed parents, who expressed heartfelt gratitude to the police for their tireless efforts.
While the incident ended happily, it also highlighted lapses in school safety. Pakhale urged all school staff and employees to take precautions when closing the premises. “Before locking classrooms, staff must ensure no child remains inside. The school and surrounding area should be carefully checked, and any suspicious objects or persons should be reported to the police,” he said.
For the Bagdes, the scare was a reminder of how quickly a playful child can be placed in danger, but also of the community’s role in ensuring safety. “We are just grateful our son is safe,” Vishwajit said, holding Himanshu close, “and we hope schools take every step to prevent such incidents in the future.”
