Missing 12-year-old boy triggers panic across Metro stations

BENGALURU:  A 12-year-old boy who was travelling with his 18-year-old cousin missed alighting at the Kempegowda Interchange Metro station on Thursday evening.   According to highly placed Metro sources, Shrikanth and his 18-year-old cousin had boarded a train from Yelachenahalli Metro station to reach Halasuru. “The duo were supposed to alight at the Kempegowda Interchange Metro station and then take the Purple Line towards Halasuru. The train reached Platform 3 of the station around 4.30 pm. While his cousin got off the Metro train, Shrikanth did not get down and the train continued on its journey towards Nagasandra,” a source said. 

Meanwhile, on realising this, the elder cousin panicked and alerted the security staffer at the platform who informed the station controller. “He immediately ensured that an alert was sent to all Metro stations on both the Green Line and Purple Line about the missing youngster,” said an official.

Shrikanth continued his journey and realised only two stations later that his cousin there in the train. “He alighted at Srirampura Metro station, asked the staff for directions to reach Kempegowda station and took a Metro to find his way back to the station on his own. His cousin was still waiting for him at the station after which the duo headed towards Halasuru,” he added. 

Asked if it was a one-off occurrence, a senior Metro official said that such incidents have become frequent following the launch of the full Phase-I (July 17 this year). “Sometimes due to packed trains, family members get separated when boarding or alighting,” another official said. 
While there were 3 to 4 incidents each month until last year, it has shot up to 10 to 12 from June this year, 
he added.