Amid the buzz around the return of Archie Yadav, the 12-year-old who went missing from her Shakti Khand III home on the afternoon of January 13, we decided to catch up with her relatives and neighbours about what they thought was the reason behind Archie’s disappearance.
The building on plot 145 in Shakti Khand III houses three families that live on separate floors. Archie’s family lives on the second floor of the building. As per information provided Archie’s family members, the front gate of the building was always left open and provided easy access to anyone wanting to come in.
Madhu Yadav, Archie’s aunt said she believed that Archie was in fact kidnapped from her home after being hypnotised and she did not leave on her own.
However, this has instilled a sense of fear among neighbours and residents in the area, especially among parents who often leave their spare keys with their kids.
Relatives said Archie could not have left alone, as she had no money on her. Even the Rs 150 that her mother had left on the living-room table were lying untouched.
Anju Singh, a resident of Shakti Khand IV, told City Spidey that she along with some of her neighbours had decided to opt for more CCTV cameras in their neighbourhood. “I have also stopped leaving the spare key with my daughter and instead leave it with my ground-floor neighbours. We are in a desperate situation, as we have no choice but to leave our kids alone at home every now and then."
“It is so sad that children are not even safe in their own homes," added Singh. "My parents have actually asked me to leave Ghaziabad and shift to Delhi, as this place is not secure."
Pooja Kalra, another resident of Shakti Khand, expressed the growing sense of insecurity among residents due to increasing crime such as in the area. The targets were often women, senior citizens and children.
Meanwhile, Archie’s parents, along with Archie, have confirmed the completion of all official formalities for her transfer from the child-care centre in Dharamshala. They have left for Ghaziabad and are set to return by February 19. “The process of transfer took a lot more time than we expected, but the verification was important," said Sunil Yadav, Archie's uncle.
Police has also confirmed Archie's return by February 19.
