Two minor girls were reported missing in separate incidents in Aluva on Saturday. The cases involve a 16-year-old student of a private residential institution in Edathala and a 12-year-old girl who went missing from her home near Aluva West.

The 16-year-old, a native of Karunagappally in Kollam district, is a survivor in a POCSO case registered in Kollam.

According to the Edathala police, the Class 11 student of BKR Falila College in Aluva went missing on Saturday evening. "The college authorities were unable to trace her in the evening and approached the police around 7 pm on Saturday," the police told Onmanorama.

"It was found that the student left the campus through the institution's back gate," an officer added.

During the initial investigation, the police found that the student had hired an autorickshaw to Aluva town. "We questioned the autorickshaw driver, who confirmed that he dropped the girl at Aluva railway station. It is likely that she was headed to Kollam," the police said.

A team from the Edathala police has left for Kollam to trace the missing girl.

The police said they are also investigating whether the accused in the earlier POCSO case had any involvement in her disappearance.

Investigators found that the girl had contacted the accused using the autorickshaw driver's mobile phone. "The girl called someone using the driver's phone. When we traced the number, it belonged to the accused in the POCSO case previously registered in Kollam," the officer said.

"However, we need to investigate the matter further before drawing any conclusions. The investigation is continuing," he added.

Based on the institution's complaint, the police registered a missing person's case. The girl's family, who reside in Kollam, rushed to Aluva after being alerted by the college authorities.

In a separate incident, a 12-year-old girl from Aluva West was also reported missing on Saturday.

According to the Aluva West police, the girl left her home on Saturday, telling her family that she was going to borrow a book from a friend. When she failed to return, her family approached the police, who registered a missing person's case.

"The family's statement has been recorded and a case has been registered. We suspect the involvement of another individual and are investigating that angle," an officer at the Aluva West police station told Onmanorama.

However, the officer ruled out the possibility of kidnapping.