Tired of her mother’s thrashing and scolding, a six-year-old girl left her residence in Gandhi Nagar and was later found at her mother’s friend’s house, the police said on Monday.

The girl was reported missing by her mother, a factory worker, on Saturday after which a kidnapping case was registered and teams were formed to find the girl.

“The mother had raised suspicion on her husband with whom she is separated. Though the police searched his residence, the girl wasn’t found there. The also checked the factory where the woman is working,” said a senior police officer.

As they didn’t get any clues, the police conducted a local enquiry. “It was revealed that the woman used to often beat and scold her daughter. It was also revealed that the house was found locked from outside when the mother realised that the daughter had been missing which made investigators suspect that she might have left on her own,” the officer said.

After questioning colleagues and neighbours of the woman, the police were informed that the girl had gone to her mother’s friend’s house in Seelampur, about 3 kms from her house. “When the police reached there, the girl was found safe,” the officer said.

The police said that the girl didn’t want to stay with her mother as she was often thrashed, scolded and restricted by her mother. “The mother is the only earning member and the girl would demand things that the mother couldn’t afford due to which she would scold the girl. She also didn’t let the girl go out as she was scared of her safety which the girl didn’t like,” the officer said.