Gandhinagar, July 6 (IANS) Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi on Monday praised the state Police after officers rescued a missing minor girl from Karnataka and reunited her with her family, saying the operation demonstrated justice and humanity.

In a post on X, Sanghavi wrote: “Distance is never a barrier when it comes to justice and humanity.”

His remarks came in response to a Gujarat Police post highlighting the success of the rescue operation.

The police said: “1,200 km. One Mission. One Family Reunited. Through relentless investigation, inter-state coordination, and unwavering commitment, Gujarat Police rescued a missing minor from Karnataka and reunited her with her family.”

The rescue was carried out under Operation Milap, the Gujarat Police initiative to trace missing persons and reunite them with their families.

According to police, the case involved a 14-year-old girl from Vadodara’s Chhani area who had been missing since December 18 last year. After initial efforts failed to trace her, the investigation was transferred to the Vadodara Anti-Human Trafficking Unit (AHTU).

Investigators used technical surveillance and intelligence inputs to trace the accused, identified by police as Sunilkumar Bariya, to Shivamogga in Karnataka.

Police alleged that he had lured the minor away, assumed a new identity after completing a priesthood course in Jaipur, and was working as a priest at a Jain temple in Shivamogga, where he allegedly introduced the girl as his wife.

A five-member team from the Vadodara AHTU, including a woman police officer, travelled to Karnataka and, with assistance from the local police, kept the temple under surveillance for two days despite adverse weather conditions.

The accused was arrested at around 4 a.m. on the third day, after which the girl was rescued and reunited with her family, according to the police.

The rescue forms part of the extended phase of Operation Milap, conducted from June 12 to June 21.

During the 10-day extension, Gujarat Police traced 500 missing children and adults and reunited them with their families. The recovered persons included 288 women, 88 girls, 21 boys and 103 men.

The extended campaign followed the first phase of Operation Milap, held from May 7 to June 5, during which Gujarat Police traced 1,478 missing persons, including 857 women and 234 minor girls.

Police have said the operation relied on technical surveillance, field investigations, intelligence gathering and inter-state coordination, with tracing missing women and children remaining a priority beyond the special drive.

–IANS

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