Kochi: A 12-year-old schoolgirl who went missing from Kochi was found in Vallarpadam shortly after midnight on Wednesday. She left due to emotional distress after school authorities questioned her for bringing her mother’s phone to school and confiscated it, reported Manorama News.

The girl went missing around 5 pm while returning home from school on her bicycle near Pachalam. The police launched extensive searches across various parts of Kochi. A team led by SP Jayakumar, along with the girl’s parents, was involved in the search operation. She was found on the third bridge of the Goshree Bridge. George Joy, a local resident, was the first to spot her.

"I saw the news about the missing child on TV, and my mother informed me over the phone. While returning home, I saw the girl riding her bicycle. Finding it suspicious, I immediately informed the police and started talking to her. She told me she was heading to her mother’s house in Nayarambalam. She seemed deeply distressed," George told Manorama News.