S Gopal Puri
Shimla: – In a major development in the case of the three missing Bishop Cotton School (BCS) students recovered from Kotkhai earlier today, Himachal Pradesh Police have arrested 45-year-old Sumit Sood in connection with the incident.
The boys, who were reported missing from the prestigious boarding school on Friday, were traced and rescued within 24 hours following a swift investigation. A case (FIR No. 20/2025) was registered under Section 137(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which addresses wrongful concealment or enticement of a child.
According to police, Sumit Sood was found at the Kotkhai residence where the students were located. He is now under interrogation as investigators work to determine his motive, prior connections with the students, and the circumstances leading to their presence in Kotkhai.
“We are examining all possible angles – including whether the accused had any prior relationship with the children, or if they were influenced or enticed in any manner,” a senior police official told reporters.
Tracing the Boys
The investigation began with a written complaint from BCS Headmaster Mathew P. John. Police teams scanned CCTV footage from multiple locations in Shimla before narrowing the search to the Kotkhai area, around 60 km from the city. Based on specific intelligence inputs, the boys were safely recovered.
Bishop Cotton School, founded in 1859, is one of Asia’s oldest boarding schools, making the disappearance of its students a matter of high public attention.
DGP Ashok Tiwari, IPS, commended the swift action of the Shimla Police, stating:
“This is an example of efficient teamwork where every rank worked together to achieve results quickly and safely.”
Next Steps
Police are now working to establish the sequence of events, the nature of Sood’s interactions with the boys, and whether any additional individuals were involved. Authorities have stressed that the students are safe and are being provided with necessary support.
The arrest marks a significant turn in the investigation, but officials caution that the full picture will emerge only after a thorough probe.
