Missing boys found in Ullal Dargah

Mangalore, February 21: Two boys, Mohammed Shoyeb (12) and Zulfikar (15) from Mysore who had been missing since February 14 after visiting Mangalore were traced in the premises of Ullal Dargah near here on Sunday.

The family members had lodged a complaint in Narasimharaja police station and sought the assistance of police in tracing them after they searched in vain in friends and relatives houses.

The parents who had arrived in Mangalore also sought the assistance of media to trace the children.

Following publishing of reports in the media, residents of Ullal contacted the brother of Shoyeb after seeing the boys near Ullal Darga.

Interestingly, the family members of the boys had also searched for them in the same place for two days, but could not spot them.

Background

Mohammed Arif and Mohammed Thousif, who had visited Mangalore recently in search of their brother told media that Shoyeb, a 7th standard student of Government School in Mysore, came home after school on February 14 and left home for playing, as usual.

As the boy did not return till late night, the family members started searching for Shoyeb when they met Mohammed Gaus (also Shoyeb's classmate) on road at night. Upon questioning, Gaus spilled the beans that Zulfikar (another classmate) took him (Gaus) and Shoyeb to Mysore railway station on February 14 evening. The trio also booked a ticket to Mangalore.

When the train was about to leave for Mangalore, Gaus alighted from the train fearing that his father would scold/beat him. He reportedly told Arif that he had also requested Shoyeb to return home, but the duo (Shoyeb and Zulfiker) continued their journey towards Mangalore. Zulfiker reportedly told Gaus that he is planning to find a job in Mangalore.

Interestingly, Zulfiker had run away from his home three years ago and returned home last year, when his father decided to admit him to 7th standard. He had told his father that he was in Tamil Nadu for 2 years.

Zulfiker had taken Rs 1,500 from his home while leaving on February 14. It is also learnt that he also sold his mobile phone a few days ago.