Daijiworld Media Network - Vadodara

Vadodara, Jan 26: A 17-year-old boy from Vadodara allegedly fled to Goa after taking Rs 3 lakh from his family, including money kept for his sister’s UPSC examination fees, telling police that the pressure of studies and examinations had become overwhelming.

The teenager, a resident of the Sama-Savali Road area, went missing late Tuesday night, triggering panic at home and prompting a swift multi-state police search. According to police, the boy quietly left the house after midnight, telling his mother and sister to sleep before going to his room. “Nothing seemed unusual at that time,” an officer said.

The next morning, when the domestic help arrived around 9.30 am, the front door was found open and the boy was missing. A search of the house revealed that Rs 3 lakh kept in a safe had disappeared. Police said the amount included money meant for the boy’s sister’s UPSC examination fees. His mobile phone was also switched off, heightening the family’s anxiety.

Before leaving, the boy had messaged his school teacher saying he would not attend classes that day. Following a complaint from the family, Sama police formed multiple teams and launched an intensive search operation.

CCTV footage showed the teenager leaving the house with a backpack around 1.45 am. Investigators traced his movements and found that he had taken a taxi to Mumbai, picked up a friend, and then travelled by another taxi to Goa. “The movement was well planned for someone his age,” a police source said.

With no contact from the boy, police used technical surveillance and discovered that a new SIM card had been activated on his phone. Location tracking led them to a beach resort in Goa. “When we reached there, both boys were sitting casually on the beach, as if nothing had happened,” a source said.

Police estimate that the teenager had spent over Rs 50,000 in just two days. During interrogation, he reportedly broke down and told officers that academic pressure had pushed him to run away. “He said he was depressed about his Class 11 exams and felt suffocated. He wanted to escape for some time,” an officer said.

The police counselled the teenager and advised the family to seek professional help if required. The boy and his friend were brought back to Vadodara and reunited with their families after counselling. No criminal case has been registered, as the boy is a minor and was safely traced.