Sharjah: An Indian boy, who disappeared from Sharjah on Friday morning, was reunited with his family on Sunday evening after he was found by another student in Dubai.
As first reported by Gulf News, Ameya Santosh, a grade 10 student of DPS Sharjah, had gone missing after he went for tuition and his parents said that he might have run away due to exam fear.
The 15-year-old was spotted by another student in Dubai’s La Mer on Sunday afternoon. Following this Ameya himself called his father from the other boy’s mobile, his father Santosh Rajan told Gulf News.
Narrating how Ameya had ended up in La Mer, the relieved father said: “He has a liking for buses. He said he took a bus from Al Jubail in Sharjah to Bur Dubai bus station [in Al Ghubaiba]. It seems he took shelter in the bus stand till today (Sunday morning).”
He said the teenager did not eat anything and was surviving on water. On Sunday morning, he decided to walk over to La Mer. “In one way, he kind of explored things and had an adventure. But, he put all of us on fire,” said the father.
He said Ameya met the other boy at a McDonald’s outlet.
“He had come to eat there and he struck a conversation with Ameya and he ordered food for him also. He has come as an angel for us. He told Ameya to call me and gave his phone.”
An emotional Ameya broke down when he spoke to his father. “I comforted him and told him not to feel bad or scared. I made sure that he doesn’t think that we are going to punish him for this.”
He said Ameya had an emotional reunion with his mother.
Twist in the story
However, there was another twist in the story prior to receiving Ameya’s call, he said.
Since Friday morning, the family had been searching for Ameya in different areas in Sharjah as they got leads from people claiming that they had spotted him.
Nevertheless, when Ameya finally called his father, the family was near Jumeirah as they had got another lead through his school, the father said.
“A Kenyan man had sent an email to the school saying he had found Ameya in Dubai and he had talked to him.”
Officials from the school and the parents reported the matter to Sharjah Police, following which the parents rushed to meet the Kenyan man.
“But when we met him, he was not very clear about his statements. He said he would take us to where Ameya was. That is when we got Ameya’s call. The Kenyan guy didn’t come with us after that. Maybe he was lying as Ameya also said that he didn’t talk to any such person. But we are seeing that as God’s way of taking us close to Ameya soon.”
The father said the student who spotted Ameya waited till they arrived to pick him. “He had to leave immediately and hence I couldn’t take his details. We are very grateful for what he has done for us.”
The family returned to Sharjah Police to withdraw the complaint and clear Ameya’s name from the list of missing persons.
“The CID also explained to him that he should not do such things ever again. They told him that parents may get angry with children but all that is for their better future.”
The father said they have decided to let Ameya take a break from school for some days and relax.
