Patna/Gaya, Dec. 31: The New Year may bring good news for Kamruddin, a resident of Kalaua Khurd village in Sherghati sub-division of Gaya, if his eyes have spotted it right.

Kamruddin’s elder son Miraz alias Pappu went missing from Barachatti area on July 5, 2009. On December 14 this year, Kamruddin spotted Miraz in a photo published in a vernacular daily in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. The only problem: the photo was of a group of children rescued from a Karachi-based madarsa where the kids were allegedly being tortured and trained in terrorist activities.

“I immediately identified my son in the photograph of the rescued children,” said Kamruddin, a rickshaw-puller by profession.

He said he immediately returned to his native village from Agra and showed the photograph to wife Amna Khatoon, who, too, identified one of the kids in the photograph as their son.

“Miraz had gone to the local market to purchase some goods but never returned. A missing complaint was lodged at Barachatti police station,” Kamruddin said.

He approached Gaya senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vinay Kumar with the photograph and a plea to bring back Miraz from Pakistan.

Miraz was nine years old when he went missing.

“He must have turned 11 now,” Kamruddin said, adding that he submitted a copy of the photograph of his missing son and also the one published in the newspaper to the senior police officer.

“I have told him (Kamruddin) that I will contact the Union home ministry officials and discuss the matter with them,” the SSP said.

“If the parents claim the boy whose photograph had been published in the newspaper is theirs, how can we ignore it?” Kumar told The Telegraph.

He, however, refused to comment on the legitimacy of Kamruddin’s claim saying: “It is a serious issue. Let us wait for the reply of the authorities concerned.”

Sherghati sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Mahendra Kumar Basantri said Kamruddin visited his office on December 27 and showed the photograph of the boy published in the newspaper. “I suggested him to contact the senior officials as the issue involved two countries,” he said.

The SDPO said Kamruddin’s claims would be verified. “We have sent his petition to the senior officials through proper channel,” he told The Telegraph over the phone on Saturday.

Inspector-general (Tirhut range) Gupteshwar Pandey, who is the nodal officer of child trafficking cell, was not available for comments.

Sources said if the identity of the child is established, it would be a substantial evidence to show that missing children are trafficked to Pakistan from Indian territory for terrorist training.

As many as 50 children were rescued from the religious seminary in Sohrab Gath area of Karachi on December 13. All of the children were aged below 14 years. They were allegedly tortured and forced to train in militant activities. The rescue operation was carried out following a tip-off on suspicious activities at the centre.