2 women constables missing from BSF academy for a month in Gwalior, agencies launch hunt

BHOPAL: A multi-agency search is underway for the two women constables who have been missing from BSF's academy in Tekanpur, Gwalior, for over a month. BSF units on the international borders have been alerted.
Akanksha Nikhar, a native of Jabalpur, and Shahana Khatoon, originally from Murshidabad in Bengal, were trainers at the academy since 2021. They went missing on June 6, 2024.
According to sources, the investigation has taken an unexpected turn after authorities traced "suspicious activity" on the constables' phones.Records indicate their phones' locations pinged in Delhi, Howrah, and Behrampore in West Bengal, close to Murshidabad.
Authorities are trying to analyse phone records and CCTV footage from several locations, investigate the reason behind their travel across different states, and determine if there is any connection between the constables and Shahana's family in West Bengal.
CCTV footage from Beacon Hospital in Behrampore confirms their presence on June 7. This is the last confirmed sighting of the constables. Their phones have been switched off since leaving the hospital.
Akanksha's mother, Urmila Nikhar, has expressed concern during a public hearing with Gwalior police. She told officers about a conversation with Akanksha on June 5, where her daughter seemed 'hesitant'.
Nikhar alleges Gwalior police didn't investigate the disappearance despite a missing person's report being filed at Bilua police station (100km from Gwalior) on June 6. Shahana's family in Bengal has not provided any information to Nikhar, deepening the mystery.
Following her complaint, Gwalior police have constituted a special investigation team and are collaborating with state and central agencies, including their counterparts in Bengal, to trace the constables' and establish contact with the women.