Children Are Completely Safe; Happy to Be Going Home, Investigation Via Mobile Location Proves Crucial

Malappuram: Two schoolgirls from Tanur, Malappuram district, who went missing on March 5, 2025, have been found safe in Maharashtra after a 35-hour search. The girls, Fathima Shahada and Ashwathi, both students of Class 12, left home to attend an exam but failed to reach their school, Devadar Government Higher Secondary School. Their families reported them missing after they did not appear at the school.

The authorities quickly launched an investigation, and the police traced the missing girls’ mobile phone signals, which led to a breakthrough in the case. The investigation revealed that the signals were coming from Maharashtra. Further inquiries revealed CCTV footage from Panvel, Maharashtra, showing the girls with a young man visiting a beauty salon and later heading toward Chhatrapati Shivaji Railway Station.

Based on this information, a Kerala police team traveled to Maharashtra and, after a search in the Lonavala area, successfully located the girls. The two students were found safe, and they expressed their happiness at being found and on their way home.

Currently, the girls are in the custody of local authorities, and the Kerala police team is completing the necessary formalities to bring them back to Kerala. The reason behind their journey to Maharashtra remains unclear, and investigations are ongoing.

The investigation’s success highlights the crucial role of mobile location tracking, which played a pivotal role in locating the missing children. The swift response and the collaboration between the Kerala police and Maharashtra authorities ensured the girls’ safe return.