Police search for 17-year-old boy who went missing from CBD Belapur after ‘spiritual dispute’ with family

Navigate Mumbai: The Anti Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU) is searching for a 17-year-old boy who has been missing from his home in CBD Belapur since November 7. The boy, Jayesh Sharma, had run out of the house after his mother scolded him for shaving his head.

According to police, he shaved his head on the day he went missing, leaving some strands of hair on the back. He had told the saloon man that someone in the family had died. Meanwhile, when his mother asked questions, he said he wanted to join the Hare Rama Hare Krishna Mission. The mother tried to reason with him that since he was in class XII and his exams were coming up, he should concentrate on his studies and not anything else.

“Angrily, the boy left the house around 4:30 p.m. barefoot, without any personal belongings. We checked the nearby ISKCON temple and are also examining the CCTV footage in the area. He himself walked out somewhere and we are sure he will be found soon,” AHTU senior police inspector Prithviraj Ghorpade said.

According to the FIR registered by the child’s mother Radha Harishchandra Sharma, he was undergoing treatment for ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) since a month. The mother has registered the case against unknown persons with Belapur police under Section 137 (Kidnapping) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

As per the Supreme Court guidelines, if a minor goes missing, a case of kidnapping should be registered immediately. He lived in Sector 3 in Belapur along with his parents, 14-year-old younger brother and grandmother.

The mother had initially thought that he would be back home soon as his mood dropped, but since he did not show up all night, she approached the police on November 8 and registered the case.

According to the family, he had recently taken a keen interest in spirituality and had asked his father to take him to Vrindavan in Mathura. The father had taken him to the ISKCON temple in Kharghar. He was also addicted to taking AI photos of the Gods. As a Commercial Sciences student, he had achieved 77% for his 10th board and lost focus due to his studies.

“We have images of him in Belapada, Sky Walk and even at Belapur Metro station. We also contact all religious sites. If anyone has any information, he is requested to contact Belapur police immediately,” Ghorpade said.