Ramesh and Lakshmi stood in front of the railway police station, crying uncontrollably. Arun held his mother's hand, looking at her frightened face without understanding what had happened.
A police officer approached them with a notebook in his hand.
"What is the girl's name?" he asked.
"Her name is Jwala, sir," Ramesh replied, wiping his tears.
"How old is she?"
"She is only four years old, sir."
"What was she wearing?"
"She was wearing a yellow dress, sir. She has a beautiful, round face, big eyes, and short black hair."
The officer quickly wrote down the details.
"Where did you start your journey? Which train were you travelling on? When did you last see your daughter?"
Ramesh tried to answer, but his voice trembled.
"We were travelling towards Delhi, sir. I went to the washroom. When I returned, I was very tired and fell asleep. When I woke up, my daughter was missing. We searched everywhere, but we couldn't find her."
The officer looked at him suspiciously.
"Who was sitting beside you during the journey? Did you notice anyone taking an interest in your daughter? Did you see anyone behaving strangely?"
Ramesh shook his head.
"No, sir. The train was crowded. Many people were getting on and off. We didn't notice anything unusual."
Another police officer walked over and interrupted the conversation.
"Do you have any identification documents?"
Ramesh looked at Lakshmi helplessly.
"No, sir. We don't have any identity cards with us."
The officer frowned.
"Then how are we supposed to verify who you are? Do you have any family photographs? Any photograph of the missing girl?"
Ramesh lowered his head.
"We are poor people, sir. We have been living on the streets for years. We don't have a family photograph with us. We have nothing to show you right now. But please believe us. Our daughter is missing!"
The second officer shook his head impatiently.
"How can we be sure that your story is true? You say your daughter went missing on a train, but you have no photograph, no identity documents, and no proof of what happened. How do you expect us to find her?"
His harsh words broke Lakshmi's heart.
She fell to her knees, crying.
"Sir, she is my daughter! I carried her in my arms when she was born. I know her face. I know her voice. Do I need a photograph to prove that I am her mother?"
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Ramesh knelt beside Lakshmi and tried to comfort her, but tears rolled down his own cheeks.
"Sir, we are poor, but we are also parents. We came here with two children. Now we have lost one of them. Please don't send us away. We beg you to help us find our daughter."
Their cries attracted the attention of people nearby. Railway workers, labourers, and passengers began gathering outside the police station.
One of the labourers stepped forward.
"Sir, even poor people have families. If they say their child is missing, shouldn't we at least try to find her?"
Another man joined him.
"Yes, sir. They may not have photographs or identity cards, but look at their condition. They are crying for their child. Please help them."
The police officers exchanged glances.
The first officer turned towards Ramesh again.
"Think carefully. Did anyone sit near your family? Did you speak to anyone during the journey? Did your daughter go anywhere alone?"
Ramesh closed his eyes, trying to remember every moment.
"The compartment was overcrowded, sir. People were standing everywhere. Some were sleeping, and others were moving around. I remember a few passengers sitting near us, but I don't know their names. I never imagined something like this would happen."
The officer paused for a moment.
Then he turned to a constable standing nearby.
"Go to the station control room immediately. Find out which train they were travelling on and check the available CCTV footage. See whether you can identify this little girl or anyone who might have been with her."
"Yes, sir!" the constable replied and hurried away.
The officer then asked another constable to contact the railway staff and gather information about the train's arrival and departure times.
Ramesh looked at the officer with desperate hope.
"Sir, will you find my daughter?"
"We will investigate," the officer replied. "But I need you to tell us everything you remember, no matter how small it may seem."
Lakshmi held Arun tightly against her chest.
"Please bring my little girl back, sir. She is only four. She must be frightened without us."
Meanwhile, inside the station control room, the constable began reviewing the available CCTV "Wait a minute..."
The screens showed passengers rushing across platforms, vendors selling food, and families boarding trains. He carefully checked one recording after another, trying to find something that could help the investigation.
Time passed, but he found nothing useful.
Outside the police station, Ramesh and Lakshmi waited anxiously. Lakshmi held Arun tightly, unable to stop crying.
Ramesh walked towards the police officer again.
"Sir, is there any news about my daughter?"
The officer looked at him seriously.
"We are still checking. Please wait. We will continue our investigation."
Ramesh returned to Lakshmi without saying a word.
The railway station remained busy as passengers hurried towards their trains. People came and went, but for Ramesh and Lakshmi, time seemed to have stopped.
They had arrived at the station with two children. Now, they stood helplessly with only one.
Would they ever find their little girl again?