Koppal: In a heartwarming example of inter-district coordination, an 11-year-old girl from Hosalli village in Koppal district, who had been missing for 24 days, was safely reunited with her family — thanks to a WhatsApp group of child protection officers.
The child, who has mental disabilities, unknowingly boarded a Mysuru-bound bus on May 5 from the Hosalli bus stand while waiting with her grandmother. As the elderly woman dozed off, the girl wandered into the bus and sat quietly. Mistaking her for a passenger’s child, the driver and conductor did not intervene, and the bus left the station.
Upon reaching Mysuru, when no one came forward to claim the child, staff at the Road Transport Office handed her over to Mysuru Bala Mandir, a child care facility.
Meanwhile, the child’s distressed father lodged a missing complaint at the Koppal police station. During a District Legal Services Authority meeting involving the Sneha department, Zilla Panchayat, Women and Child Development, and District Child Protection Unit, the child’s case was reviewed.
Officials shared the girl’s details through a dedicated WhatsApp group used by child protection officers across districts. Mysuru officials responded with photographs of a girl under their care — prompting instant recognition from the family.
On May 29, the parents travelled to Mysuru and joyfully brought their daughter home.