The boy who went missing from Kochi and was later found in Thodupuzha made a detour from his school to meet his favourite television actor. His father dropped him off at the school on Tuesday for an exam.

The school authorities had reported that he finished writing the exam by 9.30 am and left the school. By noon, when the boy didn't come home, his parents realised that he had gone missing, following which they reported it to the police.

Elamakkara police said the boy was a huge fan of a television series, and one of the actors was his favourite. He understood from an interview that the series' shoot was held at Vazhakkala. Soon after leaving the school, he headed to Vazhakkala, watched the shoot for almost an hour, boarded a bus to Muvattpuzha, and took another bus to Thodupuzha.

It's not known why the boy didn't return home from Vazhakkala. He reached Thodupuzha in the evening, and as it turned dark, he felt scared and sought the help of a palmist named Sasikumar.

The boy was found near the Thodupuzha bus stand with Sasikumar on Wednesday morning. The police have slapped POCSO charges against him after the boy told police that he was allegedly abused. Sasikumar is an accused in another case related to outraging the modesty of a woman, Elamakkara police said.