What Happened to Three Missing Students from Shimla's Oldest Boarding School?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Three students from Bishop Cotton School are missing.
- The school is one of the oldest prestigious institutions in Asia.
- Search operations are being conducted by local police.
- Concerns about child safety in boarding schools have been raised.
- Authorities are investigating the possibility of kidnapping.
Shimla, Aug 10 (NationPress) Three minor students from Bishop Cotton School, one of Asia's most historic and prestigious boys' boarding schools, established in 1859, have mysteriously vanished during a weekly day outing in the Himachal Pradesh capital, according to police reports released on Sunday.
One of the missing students is from Mohali and is connected to a Punjab minister, another hails from a well-known business family in Karnal, Haryana, while the third student is from Kullu.
The trio, all in Class 6, had ventured to Mall Road for shopping on Saturday. While the other students returned safely, the three boys remain unaccounted for, the police stated.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Gandhi informed the media that specialized police teams have been organized to locate the children. Authorities in Delhi and Haryana have also been alerted to assist in the search. A formal case has been registered.
As part of the search operation, vehicles heading towards Shoghi, which are key entry and exit points on the Shimla-Chandigarh national highway, are being thoroughly inspected.
Authorities suspect that the children may have left without informing anyone, although the possibility of kidnapping has not been dismissed.
CCTV footage captured the children in various locations across the city during their outing, notably on Mall Road, but they disappeared shortly thereafter.
Bishop Cotton School is renowned for its elite educational standards, attracting students from across India and abroad.
Every Saturday, students are permitted to go on outings, and apart from the three missing boys, all others returned to the school as scheduled.
The school's administration has filed a complaint with the police regarding the disappearance, which has raised significant safety concerns for students at the boarding institution.