2nd chance: Runaway boy reunited with kin after 4 years cracks SSC

THANE: Life gave a second chance to a Thane youth and he grabbed it with both hands.
In 2015, Sumedh Chandra, then aged 15, ran away from home fearing that he had failed in his class IX exams. He did odd jobs for a caterer till the police finally traced him and reunited him with his family last year. Shocked to learn that he had, in fact, cleared class IX, Sumedh, after counselling and support from his family, resumed studies and scored 79.4% in his SSC exams this year.The results were declared on Wednesday.
“With my parents’ help, I achieved success in my new innings. I will now study hard as I aspire to become an engineer,” an elated Sumedh said.
His father, an insurance agent, has written a letter to the Thane police sharing the news of Sumedh cracking the SSC exams and also expressing gratitude for bringing him back safe and sound.
On March 26, 2015, Sumedh stepped out of his Vasant Vihar residence to fetch milk. When he did not return home, his family filed a missing person’s complaint and even pasted ‘missing’ posters in public places. A few days later, the family got a ransom call for Rs 1 lakh. The police laid a trap and arrested two men who had seen the posters and decided to make money by making a fake ransom call. They did not have the boy.
Even as Sumedh’s parents filed a writ petition in the high court accusing the Thane police of ‘going slow’ on their complaint, on January 22, 2019, inspector Ravindra Daundkar found Sumedh in Nerul where he worked as an errand boy for a caterer. Sumedh’s father said, “We were so happy to get our son back. We counselled him and re-admitted him in school. We are so proud that he secured 79.4 % in his SSC exams.”