A minor went missing in Gujarat. The trail has led police to flood-hit Nepal

The man, who drives a rickshaw, approached the Gujarat High Court alleging that his minor daughter was kidnapped by a man from another faith about a month ago. The minor—just about two weeks shy of 18, as per the age in the complaint—left her home on August 6 and did not return, following which her father lodged an FIR on August 7.

When the matter came up before a division bench of Justices A Y Kogje and N M Thakore on Monday, Baloch urged that the minor be traced.

The state told the court that the police immediately began searching for her after the FIR was registered and following an application from the petitioner on August 18. The electronic evidence gathered during the investigation, the state submitted, indicated that the minor and the man had crossed over to Nepal, prompting the police to pursue the search in that direction but that the situation in Nepal was “extreme” at the moment.

During the hearing, the court orally inquired when investigators had first traced the Nepal connection and questioned the state about the whereabouts of the minor and the respondent, particularly in the context of the devastation in Nepal following the floods.

The state informed the court that the technical information linking the minor to Nepal had only emerged about two to three days ago. It said the police had identified one or two IP addresses originating from Nepal and had sought assistance there.

As per the FIR, the minor “left from home by evading the eyes of her sister”, while her mother was away to attend to a beauty parlour assignment. The family approached the police immediately and lodged a kidnapping complaint.

Recording the State's submission that the investigation was proceeding on the Nepal trail, the high court issued notice, returnable on September 28.

The court order recorded, “Pursuant to the FIR registered as well as the communication dated 18.08.2026, the police has immediately embarked upon the search, and the electronic evidence gathered would indicate the connected mobile connection, which has its root in Nepal, and for that purpose, the search is going on in that direction.”

Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read More