This Article is From May 19, 2011

Chennai: 'Missing' 5-year-old traced after 8 days

Chennai: Five-year-old Thamana is back in her father's arms after eight traumatic days, thanks to the Chennai Police. She had gone missing from Chennai's Marina Beach on May 11. The family got a call at 8.30 am on Thursday saying that Thamana could be picked from the Government General Hospital in Chennai. The parents frantically rushed to the hospital but the girl was nowhere to be found. Finally, two police officers from the police outpost at the hospital managed to trace the child.

Thamana's father Noor Ahamed cannot contain his excitement.

"I thank everyone, the police, the media and the public for this joint operation to get my daughter back," said Ahamed at a press conference, unable to contain his excitement.

While Thamana has been reunited with her family, the mystery over her disappearance from the Marina Beach last Wednesday is yet to be unraveled. Police has not been able to speak to Thamana and get the details of her whereabouts for the last eight days but has not ruled out kidnapping.

J K Tripathi, Chennai Police Commissioner said Thamanna wasn't sure if she had been taken out of Chennai or not, in case she had been kidnapped.

"We tried our best (to speak to Thamana) for two hours, but she was not able to communicate. She seems to be in a state of shock. So we'll wait for her to become normal before we get the details from her," said Tripathi.

Thamana, a kindergarten student, had come to the beach with her brother and mother last Wednesday. The two siblings were apparently playing near their mother but after a while Thamana disappeared mysteriously. Her mother frantically searched the area but could find her anywhere. She had then filed a police complaint.

When recovered, Thamana was apparently wearing the same set of clothes that she had gone missing in, which were probably washed every day. The police say that girl was not looked after properly but her preliminary medical examination has shown no signs of cruelty.
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