Hours that put Kerala on tenterhooks, good news came on the 21st hour

KOLLAM: The news of finding Abigail Sara, abducted by an unknown gang from Pooyapally in Kollam the other day, has brought joy and relief to the Malayalees. The search for the six-year-old girl was carried out tirelessly. The good news finally came after more than 21 hours. A group consisting of a woman and three men abducted the girl who was going for tuition with her brother at around 4:30 pm yesterday.

The accused abandoned the child near Kollam Ashramam Grounds and fled. The police have intensified search for them. The police investigation focused on the phone call and the sketch. The police had searched the houses in the Pallikal area.

The police had released a sketch of one of the accused. Meanwhile, the CCTV footage of the child being abducted had surfaced. The CCTV footage shows a man watching the child being abducted. The police also conducted an investigation to find him. He also needs to be identified before the accused can be found.

After the boy went missing from Kollam, the police had intensified search in Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram. Although the information was forwarded to all the police stations in the state, the investigation was centered on Kollam and Thiruvananthapuram.

Locals along with the police joined in the search for the child. Abigail is the younger daughter of Reji John and Ciji in Ottumala Reji Bhavan near Pooyappally Kattadimukku. Reji is in-charge of dialysis at Pathanamthitta Muthoot Hospital. and Ciji, a nurse in Kottiyam KIMS. The child was abducted in a white Honda car with a fake number plate.

Abigail of class one and her brother Jonathan of third class were going to their tuition class which is hundred meters away. Meanwhile, the car that came from behind stopped near the children. A man, who got out of the car handed Abigail a piece of paper asking to give it to her mother and then quickly dragged her into the car. When he caught Jonathan, he beat him with the stick he had in his hand and escaped.

The car then sped away. The car went to Oyoor-Paripally route. Jonathan went home crying and only then the others came to know about it. Only Reji’s mother was in the house. The locals immediately informed the police. The police passed the information to all police stations in the state and Tamil Nadu.

Surveillance cameras were also being investigated. Vehicle checking also continued. Kottarakkara DySP recorded the statement of Abigail's parents and brother. The investigation was under the supervision of ADGP Ajith Kumar.