‘Missing’ Marathoner Budhia Singh Found Holidaying With his Mother

Budhia was reported missing when he did not return to his sports hostel which reopened on 4 June.

The young marathoner Budhia Singh, who was reportedly “abducted” in early June was ‘found’ in Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu with his mother Sukanti Singh on Sunday. Rumours about his abduction made the rounds when he couldn’t be reached after the end of his sports hostel’s summer vacation.

We have spoken to both Budhia and his mother Sukanti Singh. They are at Kodaikanal in Tamil Nadu and not abducted as alleged. The boy and his mother are likely to return to the city on 24 or 25 July.

Y B Khurania, Commissioner of Police, Cuttack

Rejecting the possibility of abduction of the 14-year-old marathoner who set a record by running over 60 km from Puri to Bhubaneswar at the age of six, Khurania said:

Both the mother and son told me that they went to Kodaikanal on their own. No-one had abducted them.

Commissioner Khurania also said that the mother and son would return to the capital after visiting Mumbai.

Asked about the city police registering a kidnapping case under section 363 of the Indian Penal Code, Khurania said the case was made on the complaint by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Khurda.

We’ll interact with Budhia and his mother after they return to the state. 

Y B Khurania

Meanwhile, the police visited his mother’s house at Salia Sahi slum and spoke to his sister.

After the kidnapping case had been registered, the CWC in Khurda served a notice to the producer of the film ‘Budhia Singh: Born to Run’ asking if Budhia was with him, amid speculation that he would attend a promotional event for the film.

Budhia, who went to his mother’s house at Salia Sahi in the city slum on 10 May for his summer vacations, did not return to the sports hostel which reopened on 4 June.

He also skipped classes in the DAV School, Chandrasekharpur, where he was a student. While the sports hostel has no information about the whereabouts of Budhia, the boy has taken leave from the school authorities till 27 July, officials said.