At Calcutta airport. A Telegraph picture

Rupali Sarkar (name changed) was in love with aeroplanes and had often dreamt of seeing one up close.

Curiosity got the better of the 13-year-old on Wednesday morning, when she left her Salt Lake home for school but, instead, went to the airport. Her comrade-in-arms in the adventure was neighbour Kamala (name changed).

The girls — both students of Class VII in separate schools in the township — were intercepted by airport officials, who handed them over to police. The duo’s guardians later brought them back home.

“My daughter is fascinated by aeroplanes. She often discusses what a plane looks like with her friends,” said her father, a central government employee. “She would avidly watch aeroplanes from the rooftop, but never got a chance to see one at close quarters.”

To realise her dream, Rupali had secretly planned the outing to the airport with Kamala. On Wednesday, Rupali took Rs 50 and left home for school around 10am. Unknown to her parents, she had packed a set of clothes in her schoolbag. She went to Kamala’s house, where she changed, and then the friends took a bus to the airport.

They walked a long way to the international terminal and were trying to enter the building when an Airports Authority of India employee spotted them.

“One of our colleagues got suspicious seeing them loitering around. He brought them to the airport manager’s room. We had to ensure their safety,” said V.K. Monga, the airport director. “Both said they had come to see aircraft.”

After much persuasion, the girls gave their phone numbers. Airport officials called their parents and informed them about the girls. “Fortunately, I was at home when the call came,” Rupali’s father said.

Rupali’s parents and Kamala’s uncle rushed to Airport police station, where the minors were kept, and brought them back home.

“I had no idea that my daughter could do this,” said Rupali’s mother. “I wanted to see how big an aircraft actually is,” was the little one’s response, a smile lighting her face.