Two minor siblings abducted from Ranchi were safely recovered on Wednesday morning, bringing an end to nearly two weeks of anxiety and uncertainty for their family and the city.
The children, identified as Ansh Kumar (7) and his sister Anshika Kumari (6), had gone missing from the Dhurwa area on January 2. They were traced and rescued from Chitarpur in Ramgarh district following a coordinated operation by Ranchi Police.
Two suspects, both residents of Aurangabad district in Bihar, have been arrested in connection with the kidnapping. Police had earlier announced a reward of ₹4 lakh for any information that could lead to the children’s safe return.
A special task force constituted by Ranchi Police tracked the accused and successfully carried out the rescue. The operation was conducted under ‘Operation Masoom’, led by SSP Rakesh Ranjan with close supervision from CID ADG Manoj Kaushik.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren lauded the police for their prompt and professional handling of the case. In a post on X, he said the rescue demonstrated the dedication and effectiveness of the Jharkhand Police.
Expressing relief over the children being found unharmed, he assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible.
“Two innocent lives have been freed from the grip of criminals. The past few days were deeply distressing. Though there was no immediate breakthrough initially, the manner in which Ranchi Police linked the case with a similar incident in another state, tracked the culprits and rescued the children is highly praiseworthy,” Soren said.
He also directed a comprehensive probe into similar cases within and outside the state to dismantle the entire criminal network.
Addressing media persons in Ranchi, DGP Tadasha Mishra congratulated the police team for their courage and efficiency. She announced that all officers and personnel involved in the operation would be suitably rewarded.
The DGP further stated that the case appears to be linked to a larger inter-state human trafficking syndicate and that more arrests are likely as the investigation progresses.
Following the children’s disappearance from the Shalimar Market area, police launched an extensive search operation. Posters carrying their photographs were displayed across the city and on public transport vehicles, while appeals were circulated through WhatsApp statuses by police personnel.
Investigators identified hundreds of vehicles that had visited the market on the day of the incident and conducted physical verification of their addresses. Three mobile numbers, including those of the children’s father and the DSP of Hatia, were also released to collect real-time information from the public.
Police are now interrogating the arrested accused to trace other members of the suspected syndicate and uncover the full extent of the operation.
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