Guwahati, 22nd August: A 13-year-old girl from Kerala, who went missing a day earlier, was successfully traced in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, late Wednesday night. The girl, identified as Thasmid Thamasum, was found aboard a train bound for West Bengal by members of the Malayalee Association in Visakhapatnam, bringing an end to an intense search operation by the police.
Visuals aired on news channels showed Thasmid, safe and calm, being cared for by association members. Her parents, who had been anxiously awaiting news, expressed immense relief and gratitude towards the police and media for their swift actions. “We are so happy to see her safe and eating,” said her mother, revealing that Thasmid had left home after being hit. The girl’s elder brother also expressed his happiness at her safe return.
Thasmid, the daughter of a daily wage earner from Assam, living near Thiruvananthapuram, had last been seen around 10:30 am on Tuesday. After initial searches yielded no results, her worried parents filed a missing person complaint, prompting the Kerala Police to launch a large-scale search.
Authorities reviewed CCTV footage from various locations, including railway and bus stations, and were encouraged by a tip from a woman passenger who reported seeing a girl matching Thasmid’s description on a Kanyakumari-bound train. The passenger even shared a photo of the crying girl, which Thasmid’s parents confirmed as their daughter.
Though the search initially expanded towards the Kanyakumari region, Thasmid was ultimately located in Visakhapatnam, bringing an emotional reunion just a step closer for her family.