Nagpur: Teen girl addicted to reels runs away, reunited by Thane duo

The girl who was found in Thane; (right) Sanjay Deshmukh with his mother Asha. Pics/By Special Arrangement

In a heartwarming act, a 61-year-old good Samaritan, Sanjay Deshmukh, and his 80-year-old mother, Asha Deshmukh, residents of Thane, helped reunite a 16-year-old girl with her family.

The girl, identified as a resident of Nagpur, had reportedly run away from her home after being scolded by her parents for excessive use of her mobile phone. She lives with her parents and brother.

According to the police, the girl had travelled by train on October 20 from Nagpur to Mumbai and ended up in Thane. The next day (October 21), while in Thane, she approached Sanjay, asking for housework. He immediately took the girl to the Naupada police station, where officers helped trace her family. Sanjay, a retired professional, said he was visiting his mother on the day of Laxmi Poojan, when the girl approached him near her building.

Speaking to mid-day, Sanjay said, "While going to meet my mother on the day of Laxmi Poojan, a girl came up to me and said she was looking for housework. My mother also came downstairs. The girl told us she had been roaming in the area since morning without eating anything."

He added, "When we asked for her Aadhaar card, she said she had no identification and had left home after an argument with her parents. She told me she was 16 years old. My mother advised me to inform the police, so I first gave her some food and then asked for her family's contact number. I explained to her that her parents must be worried and that running away was not a solution. Eventually, she shared her brother's number, and I called him. Later, we took the girl to the Naupada police station."

PSI Y Borade of Naupada police station said, "Sanjay Deshmukh informed us, and we informed the Nagpur-based police station. The Nagpur police came to Mumbai with the girl's family and they were reunited."

The girl's brother told mid-day, "My sister was constantly on her mobile phone. She was addicted to watching reels, so my parents scolded her and took it away. That's why she left home. We're very happy that she returned home on Bhai Dooj - it made the festival even more special for us."