UP: Three Class 7 Girls Go Missing from Meerut Residential School; Sex Trafficking Angle Suspected

Meerut — In a disturbing incident, three Class 7 girl students have gone missing under mysterious circumstances from a government-run residential school in Meerut district. The incident occurred on Thursday morning, and authorities have launched a high-level investigation into the matter. A case of kidnapping has been registered.

The girls reportedly went missing shortly after a hostel warden caught four students—roommates from two different rooms—in possession of mobile phones, which are prohibited in the premises. Their parents were summoned to the hostel around 9 a.m.

One of the students was taken home by a relative, but before the remaining parents could arrive, the other three girls—residents of Meerut—vanished from the hostel premises. The disappearance sparked panic among the school staff and parents.

Local residents allege that the matter was promptly reported to Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) Asha Chaudhary but claim that both the hostel administration and the BSA tried to suppress the information for nearly 12 hours, from Thursday morning until late evening.

“I was informed around 5 p.m. that my daughter had gone missing. I reached the hostel within 45 minutes, but instead of cooperating, BSA Asha Chaudhary behaved in a hostile manner and tried to force us out,” said the father of one of the missing girls.

The missing persons report was filed only after the families, along with locals, approached District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Singh. The DM has formed a special investigation team comprising an IAS officer and an Additional District Magistrate to conduct a detailed inquiry.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada confirmed that some leads have been developed and expressed confidence that the minors will be rescued safely.

On Friday, Meenakshi Bharala, a member of the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission, visited the hostel to assess the situation. “After inspecting the premises, two possibilities have emerged—either the girls ran away after being scolded for possessing mobile phones, or they may have eloped. However, more serious allegations are also being investigated,” she said.

Bharala revealed that a teacher may have allegedly been in contact with some suspects and could have introduced the girls to them. “One of the fathers claimed that the teacher would dress the girls, apply makeup, and take them out. How could students leave the hostel without the knowledge of the administration?” she questioned.

She further confirmed that one of the parents has alleged the possibility of sex trafficking, which will be thoroughly investigated. “Shockingly, the CCTV cameras were non-functional at the time, and the warden claimed the generator couldn’t be started. We also need to probe how the girls obtained mobile phones and managed to charge them without chargers,” she added.