05 June,2026 09:11 AM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
The Online Connection: According to investigators, the Std X student regularly used her mother’s mobile phone to play Zupee (Ludo). During this period, she allegedly came into contact with unknown individuals through Instagram messages. Police suspect the online conversations gradually gained her trust and influenced her decision to leave home
What began as a missing-person complaint at JJ Marg police station turned into a high-priority interstate rescue operation after a 16-year-old girl allegedly left her Mumbai home carrying nearly Rs 10 lakh in cash and travelled towards Rajasthan under the influence of people she had befriended online.
Investigators suspect the teenager, a Std X student, was being guided at every stage of her journey by unknown cyber fraudsters who allegedly contacted her through Instagram.
The Secret Exit: Police said the teenager allegedly left home on May 16 carrying nearly R10 lakh belonging to her father, who had kept the money at home following a business transaction. After reaching Thane, she allegedly purchased a new mobile phone, new clothes, and a SIM card on the instructions of the people she had been communicating with online.
The girl was eventually traced and rescued from a Rajasthan-bound bus after Mumbai Police, with assistance from Gujarat Police, checked multiple buses on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway during a four-hour search operation.
For parents
Do's
>> Know which games your child plays and who they interact with online
>> Regularly monitor gaming activity, friend lists and chat platforms
>> Enable parental controls, spending limits and account security features
>> Have open conversations about cyber fraud, grooming and online scams
>> Encourage a healthy balance between gaming, studies and offline activities
The Digital Clue: Despite changing her phone and SIM card, investigators said the teenager allegedly continued using one of her old gaming accounts. That account became the breakthrough that helped police trace her movements. Officers also recovered a photograph of a bus allegedly shared during her journey, providing another key lead in the case
Don'ts
>> Don't assume your child is safe online simply because they are tech-savvy
>> Don't link payment methods without safeguards or spending restrictions
>> Don't ignore sudden behavioural changes, secrecy or signs of gaming addiction
>> Don't allow children to share personal information with strangers online
>> Don't leave younger children unsupervised in online gaming environments
The Highway Hunt: Using the digital trail, Mumbai Police contacted the travel operator and discovered that 35 to 40 buses operated daily on the route. Working alongside Gujarat Police, officers spent nearly four hours checking bus after bus on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad corridor before locating the teenager travelling alone on a Rajasthan-bound bus and rescuing her safely. Illustrations/Uday Mohite
For teenagers
Do's
>> Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication (2FA)
>> Verify gaming offers, tournament invitations and reward schemes before responding
>> Report suspicious messages, requests or accounts immediately
>> Keep personal information, photos and location details private
>> Tell a parent or trusted adult if an online friend asks for money, gifts or secrecy
The Rajasthan-bound bus on which the missing 16-year-old girl was travelling before she was traced and rescued by Mumbai Police during an interstate search operation. Pics/By Special Arrangement
Don'ts
>> Don't click on links promising free coins, or gaming currency
>> Don't share OTPs, passwords, or account credentials with anyone
>> Don't trust strangers who ask for money, personal details or private photographs
>> Don't download cheats, hacks or unofficial gaming apps from unknown sources
>> Don't move conversations with online strangers to private messaging apps without informing a parent or guardian
>> Who were the people communicating with the teenager?
>> Were they part of a cyber fraud network?
>> Was the objective financial fraud?
>> Was there an attempt to recruit or exploit the minor?
>> Were more people involved in coordinating the journey?
Prashant Nerkar, PSI
"In some parts of Haryana and Rajasthan, there have been cases in the past where vulnerable girls from other states were lured with promises of a better life, marriage or financial security. They were often asked to bring money and valuables with them. In some cases, such women were later sold or exploited. We are not saying that this is what would have happened here, but given the girl's age, the amount of cash she was carrying and the route she was travelling on, we could not ignore that possibility."
Dr Prashant Mali, Advocate and cyber law expert
âCyber criminals are not looking for the best gamers; they are looking for the most trusting victims. Play smart, stay alert and stay safe'
