Missing case: Parents call cops; kid found under sofa

Mandya: A ‘kidnapping' scare in Ganjam village of Srirangapatna taluk ended in a surprise after a 3-year-old girl, reported missing by her parents, was found asleep beneath a sofa in her house.The incident occurred on Thursday when the child suddenly went missing while playing at home. Panic-stricken parents feared that the girl had been abducted and immediately alerted the 112 emergency helpline, besides lodging a complaint at the Srirangapatna police station.Responding swiftly, the 112 emergency team and local police personnel rushed to the village and launched a massive search operation in and around the locality. The incident created anxiety among residents as police searched nearby streets, houses and open areas for clues about the missing child.However, nearly one-and-a-half hours after the complaint, the mystery was solved when family members, during a detailed search of the house, found the toddler fast asleep beneath the family sofa. The child was safe and unharmed, much to the relief of both the family and police.Following the incident, police advised parents to remain extra cautious while supervising young children and urged them to thoroughly check their homes and surroundings before suspecting kidnapping or raising emergency alarms. Though the incident ended happily, it briefly created panic in the village and triggered a full-scale emergency police response.